


Little Big Town

by kayhi



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Anal Play, Author has taken creative license, Beacon Hills, Cunnilingus, F/M, Face-Sitting, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Fraternities & Sororities, Frottage, Full Shift Werewolves, Hockey, It's Smutty Ya'll, It's pure fantasy, Oral Sex, Overuse of the word puppy, Pack Bonding, Pack Feels, Puppy Piles, Scent Marking, Sex, Werewolves, Wolf Derek Hale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-11
Updated: 2018-02-12
Packaged: 2018-10-17 12:47:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 92,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10594329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kayhi/pseuds/kayhi
Summary: Derek was hot, there was no denying that. But she didn’t come to Beacon Hills looking for a man. She came to teach for a year or two, get some experience on her résumé and head back to a city that had at least two Starbucks locations.





	1. Welcome to Beacon Hills

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all, this is my first story on AO3 & in the Teen Wolf Fandom, so please, be kind. I already have the first twelve chapters of this written, so expect regular updates 2x a week. Let me know your thoughts!

Beacon Hills wasn’t exactly what Sophie McLaren had in mind when she imagined what her post-grad life would look like. Little town, small population and boasting a grand total of three schools – elementary, middle and high school.

  
Coming from the much larger city of Denver, Colorado, Beacon Hills was certainly going to be an adjustment. On the other hand, she always knew she wanted to live in California for a short amount of time and she could drive to Sacramento or San Jose in a little over an hour on the weekends. On top of that, teaching jobs in California cities that were livable were few and far between.

 

Thankfully, she had found a cute little rental house within two miles of Beacon Hills middle school, so she could bike to school if she wanted.

 

The little Victorian-style had a small yard lined by a knee-high white picket fence dotted by a small home security sign. Growing up with a detective for a father, she wasn’t unfamiliar with the statistics about single women living alone – _it’s very dangerous, Sophie._ Thankfully, the landlords, an aging couple, were giving Sophie full creative license on any renovations she wanted to do.

 

Just from the pictures on Craigslist, Sophie already had three cans of paint in the trunk of her 2012 Volkswagen Touareg.

 

Her father’s detective work also happened to be the reason she was moving into her new home alone that weekend. David McLaren would be hopping a flight out in a few weeks to help her settle into her new life.

 

Thankfully, Ikea delivered.

 

Rolling to a stop in the one-car driveway, she swung the car door shut behind her. It was cute, it was clean and it was her new home.

 

Backtracking a few feet, she reached into her mailbox, grabbing an envelope with a short note and a set of keys.

 

_Ms. Sophie McLaren,_

_Welcome to Beacon Hills! Here are keys for the front door, garage door and back door. We have received your signed lease and first four months’ rent. We will be back in town to check in just before school starts. Our numbers are below if you need anything immediately._

_Doug and Barb Johnson_

 

“Small town.” Sophie laughed. It was a very formal sounding note considering she had been on the phone with them back and forth for the past few weeks settling the details of her lease – which made her even more endeared that they included their phone numbers.

 

She looked back up at her car, seeing it stuffed to the gills with suitcases and Rubbermaid bins. As long as she could set up her speakers and get some music going, she hoped to get her bathroom, bedroom and kitchen set up today. After driving in from Fresno that morning, and Denver over the last two and a half days, she didn’t think she had to unpack her whole house in the first 24 hours. She was thankful her mattress was scheduled for delivery in a few hours – if nothing else, she’d have somewhere to sleep tonight.

 

By four, she had the bathroom off of her second-floor bedroom set up, almost all of her kitchen unpacked and sheets on her mattress. She was itching to get to a Target or Michaels to start decorating her first real home.

 

By four-thirty, she was scrolling through her iPhone to figure out who would deliver a pizza or some lo mein to her new address. Turns out, no one did – at least, that she could surmise from her research.

  
Stepping into the bathroom, she twirled her long, brunette hair up into a bun on top her head and wiped some of the sweat and dust off of her face and from around her green eyes. The cutoff shorts and old sorority tee would have to do for now. Besides, would any of these places really be packed on a Wednesday afternoon?

 

Apparently, they were packed.

  
Swinging the door open to Jade Temple, she slid her sunglasses up into her hair, shoving her car keys into her pocket. She likely should have put a bra on.

 

“Hi, take out order for Sophie.” She smiled, reaching into her back pocket for her cardholder.

 

“Your total is $15.82,” Sophie handed over her debit card. “It’ll be like five minutes.” The teenager behind the counter said, nodding over to a few chairs for waiting.

 

“Thanks.” She smiled, sticking her card back into her pocket.

 

“You new?” The teenager asked.

 

“I am, just got here today actually.” Sophie nodded.

 

“What grade are you in?” He asked, making Sophie laugh.

 

“I’ll be teaching sixth grade history at BHMS.” She replied with a grin. “But I’m flattered.” She assuaged the awkward teenager. “Are you at the high school?” She asked.

 

“Uh, yeah, eleventh grade.” He nodded. She took mercy on the poor kid whose face was as bright as a stop sign and took a seat in the little waiting area. She pulled her phone out of her back pocket, trying to train her eyes somewhere other than the table of high school boys who were trying to decide if she in fact wasn’t wearing a bra.

 

She heard a little group approach the register, but tried to not be obvious about staring.

 

_“Hey Jimmy.”_

_“Hey guys, uh, your total is $78.12.” The kid replied._

_“Come on Isaac, how many wontons did you order?” One scolded the other._

_“It wasn’t me! It’s all Derek’s dumplings!” The kid, who she assumed was named Isaac, defended himself._

_“Yeah, you got four orders of dumplings and only two orders of wontons.” Jimmy confirmed._

_“Hah! See!” Isaac grinned._

_“Still, Derek is gonna nut punch me when he notices we spent eighty dollars on Chinese.” The kid with the wallet mumbled._

_“I don’t even feel bad.” The third one shrugged. “I’m fricken starving.” He justified._

_“Two minutes, guys.” Jimmy handed a receipt back to them._

 

They weren’t subtle about all dropping into the chairs around her, taking up as much space as possible like typical teenage boys.

 

“Hi!” Sophie’s head snapped up from her phone to see a smiling teen boy across from her with a big, goofy grin.

 

“Hello.” She replied, checking the time on her phone.

 

“Good food here, huh?” He asked, still a big grin on his face.

 

“First time, actually.” Sophie smiled. “What do you recommend?” She asked. He didn’t seem patronizing or that he was trying to impress his buddies. He just seemed like a nice kid.

 

“Oh, you can’t go wrong with the dumplings or the beef and broccoli, right fellas?” He said, looking over at his friends.

 

“Wontons.” One said with finality. “Wontons are the bomb.”

 

“I’ll eat anything.” The third supplied.

 

“Sophie!” The cashier called out.

 

“I’ll keep that in mind for next time,” She said, standing up. “You kids have a good night.” She grabbed her brown paper bag from the counter before heading out.

 

“I don’t think she was wearing a bra.” Scott McCall said, looking to his two best friends.

 

“Definitely not.” Isaac Lahey concurred.

 

After scarfing down a pint of fried rice and four egg rolls while watching some movies off of her iTunes account, she decided it would be best to turn in at seven that night.

 

The silence of the house at night helped her decide that she’d be visiting an animal shelter to get a cat.

 

[][][]

 

Her first morning in Beacon Hills, Sophie woke up with a renewed sense of purpose. She had five weeks until school started and was ready to do some damage with an Allen wrench. That, and she knew she wanted to paint rooms before completely setting up her furniture.

 

If she had time, she’d swing by the animal shelter.

 

Opting for a bra today, she pulled down a Denver Pioneers Hockey tee to go along with her same cutoff denim shorts. _She could shower_ – she pondered – _or she could go find some donuts._

With the donuts winning that battle, she tied her hair up again, swiping on some mascara and Burt’s Bees before tucking her feet into a pair of Adidas slides.

 

It was about a three-mile drive into the most populous area of Beacon Hills and she spotted a coffee shop right away, already certain there wasn’t much hope for a Starbucks.

 

Most importantly, the bakery case was stocked.

 

“Hi, can I get three French crullers and a soy iced chai?” She asked, practically salivating as the barista dropped her donuts into a paper sack. Walking back to her car, she passed by a little décor shop she was definitely going to want to revisit later. But it was business first. She needed to bring in those cans of paint along with her drop cloth and rollers. She looked over to her closest neighbor’s house. She wondered if they had a kid she could pay to mow her lawn.

 

At least in California, she’d never have to buy a snow shovel.

 

Grunting under the weight of all three paint cans – because she’d be damned if she made two trips, she could feel the wire handles dragging into her skin.

 

“Hey! You need some help?” Sophie turned her head to see an old blue SUV slowing to a stop in front of her house. She recognized the driver and passenger as two of the boys whom she met at the Chinese restaurant the night before.

 

“No, I’m good” Sophie called back, “thanks, though!” She watched as the car parked and the two hopped out anyway. She was definitely reliving an episode of _Law and Order: SVU_ in her mind as the two approached.

  
“It’s no problem, really.” The slightly taller and tanner of the two smiled in a way that could sell toothpaste.

 

“Yeah, Scott doesn’t mind, he’s like freaky strong.” The other supplied, “you want me to grab these?” He jabbed his thumb at the bags on the roof of her car with the drop cloths and rollers.

 

“I appreciate the offer,” Sophie began, “but I can really – ” She felt immense relief as Scott unloaded the paint cans from her arms to his. “Manage,” she finished, watching the teen balance them easily.

 

“Scott’s like a really good painter.” The more talkative spoke up again, three plastic bags looped around his arms. “You want some help?” He offered as they all paused on her doorstep. “I’m Stiles by the way, this is Scott.” He smiled the same goofy smile she remembered from the night before.

 

“Guys, I don’t mean any offense.” She began.

 

“I swear, we’re not murderers.” Stiles spoke up again. “We’re normal.” He asserted, making Sophie laugh. “I mean, we’re normalish.” He added. “My Dad’s the Sherriff here and it would really earn me some brownie points if I help somebody out.” He added. “I’m trying to ask him for money for some new car parts.” He explained.

 

“Maybe we help with some painting and you can let Sherriff Stilinski know?” Scott supplied. “Stiles is right, I am good at painting, I helped my Mom redo the den a few months ago.”

 

Sophie eyed the pair who seemed eager to help. Is this what life in a smaller town was like?

 

“Against my better judgment, I’m going to say yes.” Her eyes narrowed. “But some ground rules.” She began. “I need the bathroom, family room and bedroom painted, I’ll pay you each fifty bucks a day and let your Dad know you were a big help.” The pair exchanged excited looks. “You gotta make noise whenever you enter a room and you gotta be done by the end of the week.” She added.

 

“Deal!” Stiles said excitedly.

 

“Hi Stiles! Hi Scott!” All three looked over to her closest neighbor, a woman on the front step waved over to her two guests. “Stiles, you tell your Dad to come by for dinner sometime!” She insisted.

 

“Yeah, not going to happen Mrs. Caruso.” Stiles said quietly through his smile as he waved back enthusiastically, making Sophie laugh.

 

“Okay, I have paint cans.” Scott snapped them back to the situation at hand.

 

“Right, sorry.” Sophie apologized, stepping forward and unlocking her front door.

 

A little tour and an instructional showed the boys which colors went where and they immediately hopped to lining the baseboards, windows and outlets with blue tape.

 

“So, you’re new here.” Stiles said, watching as his new employer began to assemble a coffee table in the middle of the living room floor, taking intermittent sips of her iced latte.

 

“Yep, just got here yesterday.” She nodded, crossing her legs on the white carpet floor as she wrestled a table leg into place. “I’m teaching sixth grade history at the middle school.” She supplied.

 

“I loved sixth grade.” Scott smiled. “That’s when you get your first locker.”

 

Sophie smiled, Stiles and Scott seemed like they were good kids.

 

“We’re seniors,” Stiles began.

 

“Senior year, that’s a big deal.” Sophie said, sliding the lock on her phone and snapping a photo of the two as they taped the walls and sending it off to her best friend, Lauren.

 

**_To: Lauren Fitz_ **

_Just in case I get murdered by two high school boys who willingly volunteered to paint my living room. This is them._

She tossed her phone back down to the carpet, digging into the little pouch of hardware and grabbing another screw.

 

“So did you go to DU?” Scott asked as Stiles flipped through Pandora stations for some music. “Are you from Denver?”

 

“I’m actually from the Miami area, but yes, I went to DU for undergrad.” She explained. “I’m slowly doing Master’s classes online through UCLA.” She added.

 

“Nice, I’ve looked at UCLA.” Scott smiled. He looked like an ad for whole milk. Sophie read the reply from Lauren on her lock screen.

 

**_From: Lauren Fitz_ **

_Two high school boys volunteering to help a hot sorority girl paint her house? Sounds like the beginning of a porno._

 

Sophie rolled her eyes.

 

_Wish my neighbors would help me move shit. Enjoy it, capitalize. Get as much out of them as possible. Just change your garage code after._

“So far their online program is pretty good.” Sophie said, resuming work again. “Have you guys been looking at many undergrad schools?” She asked.

 

“Uh.” Stiles said eloquently.

 

“Kinda.” Scott shrugged.

 

“We, uh, I mean – neither of us plan to travel too far away from home.” Stiles supplied.

 

Sophie didn’t know many teenagers who didn’t want to get the hell out of dodge for college, but she wasn’t here to judge.

 

“I booked it from Miami the moment I turned eighteen.” She laughed. “Loved every minute of Denver. Plus I’ve always been a big hockey fan – and not a lot of hockey in Miami.” She added.

 

The trio made little chitchat as they worked. Stiles and Scott seemed like the kind of kids she’d be friends with in high school and seemed harmless.

 

“Okay kids, smile!” She held up her phone to take photos for Stiles to send his Dad. She laughed at the goofy poses they pulled for the camera. She flipped the viewfinder. “Selfie!” She smiled, giving a thumbs up. “Stiles, go ahead and send these to yourself.” She handed her phone over to the teen.

 

“Don’t you get nervous about living here alone?” Scott asked, looking out the window.

 

“Not really.” She shrugged. “I’m looking forward to it, actually. Plus, I’ve got a security system and I’ve taken lots of self defense classes.” She explained. “I lived in a sorority house for three and a half years in college, so having a whole bathroom to myself this morning was a dream.”

 

Both boys grew uncharacteristically silent.

 

“What was that? _Sorority_ house?” Stiles asked. _Right, high school boys._

“Yes, sorority house.” She laughed. “Hey, who’s hungry?” She asked.

 

“Me.” Scott replied instantly.

 

“Scott’s always hungry.” Stiles supplied. “But, about this sorority house…” He handed Sophie’s phone back to her.

 

“I’m ordering pizza, what won’t you guys eat?” She asked.

 

“Nothing.” Scott.

 

“Anchovies.” Stiles.

 

“On it,” she laughed. “Wait, do you guys know who delivers here?” She asked.

 

“DiGidio’s.” They both replied.

 

“Their wings suck.” Scott added.

  
“But their garlic knots are bomb.” Stiles countered.

 

“True.” Scott nodded thoughtfully.

 

“You guys are too much,” Sophie shook her head. She called in her order of three large pizzas and an order of garlic knots. If she had leftovers, she had dinner for that night.

 

“Hey Sophie, my Dad wants to know your last name.” Stiles called from the living room. “Wants to make sure you won’t murder me.” He added.

 

[][][]

 

“They’re cute kids.” Sophie said, getting ready for bed on Thursday night while she Skyped with her best friend all the way in Seattle.

 

“They’re done helping out tomorrow?” Lauren asked.

  
“Yep, they painted all the rooms I wanted to get done, helped me put together my vanity and couches when they got delivered,” she listed off. “They’ve been incredibly helpful. That Scott kid is strong, I swear he practically carried all the boxes for my couch alone.”

 

“Well you should take them out to lunch or something now that they’re done.” Lauren said, wiping a towelette around her face to remove her makeup.

 

“Yeah, I think I will.” Sophie agreed, “I mean, I usually feed them when they’re over for lunch and stuff but my God, they eat so much food it’s insane!” She laughed. “I watched Scott eat a quart of lo mein, a whole thing of beef and broccoli, an order of dumplings and an order of cream cheese wontons. It was like watching a circus act.”

 

“Besides your new high school BFF’s, what else is going on?” Lauren asked as Sophie settled into bed.

 

“Not a whole lot,” Sophie shrugged. “It’s really… slow here.” She described. “But I feel good,” she weighed her options. “My place is really coming together, I’m almost all unpacked, I’m going to buy a million things from Etsy and Redbubble this weekend to help make it feel more like home.” She pulled her hair down from her bun.

 

“So Beacon Hills is livable?” Lauren asked.

 

“I think so,” Sophie nodded. “It feels like freshman year all over again.” She said, “I have the same feeling as I did in my freshman dorm where it feels like you’re away at summer camp and you know your parents are going to pick you up in a few weeks.” She laughed, “but this is… permanent.” She added.

 

“Permanent for now.” Lauren reminded. “You don’t have to stay there forever, you know.” She told her friend.

 

“You’re right.” She agreed.

 

“Just make sure you’re setting your alarm.” Lauren said sternly. “Didn’t you say one of the kids is related to the Sherriff? Maybe buddy up with Daddy Dearest.” She suggested.

 

“Not a bad idea.” Sophie laughed. “When are you coming to visit?” She pouted at the webcam.

 

“MEA weekend!” Lauren insisted. “As soon as you know dates, I’ll book my flight.”

 

“Good, I miss you.” Sophie smiled.

 

“Explore some Beacon Hills,” Lauren razzed, “find a hot man.”

 

“I can’t imagine any guys here being anything other than… plain.”


	2. Introductions

“You guys are the best.” Sophie smiled as Scott finished vacuuming under the windowpane he had just sanded. “Seriously, I can’t thank you enough.”

 

“Between you and Dad, I’m going to have enough to get my new car parts.” Stiles grinned, “and major brownie points with the Sherriff.”

 

“Well come on, we’re all done here, let’s go get some food.” She grabbed her car keys. “What sounds good?” She asked, opening up the front door.

 

“Burgers.” Scott said, unplugging the vacuum.

 

“Yes and fries.” Stiles added.

 

“As long as you guy can get me there, we’re set.” Sophie smiled.

 

Tucked into a booth in a place called Ziggy’s Diner, they were all hovering over plates of burgers, fries and onion rings.

 

“Thanks again, guys,” Sophie held up her iced tea. “You’re awesome and I would be in over my head without you.”

 

“Happy to help.” Scott said with this same aw-shucks smile. They all clinked beverages in a cheers and Stiles pulled out his phone.

 

“Hey, Derek’s on his way home.” Stiles said, shoveling French fries in his mouth like there was a shortage.

 

“We should head over there pretty soon then.” Scott said, finishing his burger and already looking at Stiles’ like it was fair game.

 

“Who is Derek?” Sophie asked conversationally… “if you don’t mind me asking.” She added, not wanting to sound nosy. Scott and Stiles exchanged what Sophie was sure they thought was a subtle look.

 

“Derek’s our friend.” Scott offered.

 

“Like an older brother.” Stiles added.

 

“So he’s already graduated?” Sophie asked, squirting more ketchup on her plate.

 

“Yeah, he’s 26.” Scott nodded.

 

“Well I’m happy to drop you guys off anywhere after this.” She insisted. She had picked them up this morning from Stiles’ house, finally meeting the infamous Sherriff Stilinski and exchanging contact information with him – just in case. He was a nice guy who cared a great deal about his kid. The least Sophie could do was talk Stiles up like he had saved her life.

 

“Yeah, that would be cool,” said Stiles.

 

Finishing up their victory lunch, they loaded back into Sophie’s Touareg and Stiles provided directions to Derek’s.

  
“Wow.” Sophie took in the enormous, plantation-style home at the end of a tree-lined driveway. “Derek’s… parents live here?” She asked, putting the car in park.

 

“No, this is his place.” Scott said, unbuckling his seat belt. “Want us to introduce you?”

 

“No, no, I should get going.” She smiled, “well thanks again, guys.” She said with an exhale, turning to face them both. “If you ever need to pick someone’s brain about colleges, shoot me a text. Happy to talk things out.” She advised.

 

“Of course!” Stiles replied.

 

“Call us if you need any other help at the house.” Scott waved as they each hopped out of the car. She waved to them both, putting her car in reverse and heading back to her place.

 

[][][]

 

“How ya doin,’ boss?” Stiles asked, giving Derek Hale a big hug.

  
“Good, good.” He hugged them both. “Nice to be home.” He added, slinging his arms around Stiles’ shoulders. “What have you guys been up to? Where’s Isaac?” Derek asked, not sensing his beta in the house.

 

“Not clear on Isaac.” Stiles walked over to the kitchen, grabbing his waterbottle out of the fridge.

 

“We’ve been making money,” Scott grinned, pulling his wallet out of his pocket and sorting through the $400 dollars they had accumulated together over the past week.

 

“Excuse me,” Derek said, eyeing the cash. “Where did you get that?”

 

“Working.” Scott laughed, handing it over to Stiles as the front door opened again.

 

“Working where?” He asked as Isaac glued himself to Derek’s side, hugging him in greeting. It was hard on Isaac when Derek was away.

 

“Working for our friend, Sophie.” Stiles interjected, sticking the money into his wallet and pulling up his phone. He could probably order the parts for the Jeep on his phone and deposit his cash shortly after. “She’s new here, we helped paint and put furniture together this week.” He explained.

 

“She’s going to school with you guys?” Derek asked as Isaac moved toward the kitchen to grab something to eat.

 

“No, she’s your age,” said Scott. “She’s a new teacher at BHMS.” He added.

 

“She’s smokin’ hot.” Isaac spoke up.

 

“You were working there, too?” Derek asked, leaning over the kitchen counter as Isaac slid him a waterbottle.

 

“No, but I’ve seen her around.” Isaac shrugged.

 

Derek cracked the cap on the waterbottle, chugging it down.

 

“So… who wants to drive us to the autobody shop?” Stiles asked with a big smile. “My baby’s gotta get some new shoes.” He smirked. Derek rolled his eyes, snatching up the car keys he had just set down.

 

“I need to run to the grocery store.” Derek commented. “We’ll go after the shop.” He added at Stiles impatient whine.

 

The ride to the autobody shop was quick and Stiles was reassured many times by the staff members that his parts would be delivered and installed before school started. Derek wouldn’t admit that he was a little flushed with pride when he watched Stiles hand over the money he had earned. It was like watching your kid work hard and do their chores for a few weeks to buy a new toy. Heading back to the Camaro, Derek mentally ran over the things he needed for the house.

 

“That’s Sophie’s car.” Stiles mused quietly as they pulled up to the grocery store. Derek quirked a brow at the mention of the popular Sophie.

 

“Anything you want in particular to grab?” Derek asked as Stiles grabbed the cart – Stiles always pushed the cart. Derek wasn’t a cart guy.

 

“Pizza rolls.” Stiles replied. “Dad won’t buy them.” He added.

 

“That’s not real food.” He defended John Stilinki’s effort.

 

“Neither is Haagen Dazs.” Stiles countered, bringing up Derek’s guilty pleasure. He had seen the cartons of raspberry white chocolate in the back of the freezer, hidden behind the bags of frozen vegetable medley.

 

“One bag,” Derek conceded. They slowly made their way through the produce section. Derek was big on fruits and veggies and he went through _a lot_ of them.

 

Turning into the deli section, they both stopped short, noticing first a pair of legs stemming out of a pair of jean cutoff shorts as the owner of said legs bent over at the waist entirely, grabbing three jars of pasta sauce from the bottom shelf.

 

Sophie compared the sodium content between the two brands before ultimately putting both jars in her cart. She had been living off of Chinese, pizza and leftovers for the past week. It was time to stock her pantry.

 

“Hey, Sophie.” Stiles called, breaking out of his trance. She turned at the familiar voice.

 

“Hey Stiles!” She greeted, “long time, no see.” She teased.

 

“Soph, this is my friend Derek.” He gestured to his Alpha who was staring at Stiles’ new friend like _she_ was lunch.

 

“Hi, so nice to meet you.” She held out her hand.

 

“You too.” Derek replied, shaking her hand and simultaneously staring her down.

 

Stiles eyed the pair.

 

“We’re just getting some pizza rolls.” Stiles interjected. “Two bags of them.” He added, challenging Derek.

 

“You’re Stiles’ new teacher?” Derek asked as he finally withdrew his hand.

 

“No, I’m at the middle school,” Sophie corrected. “Sixth grade history.”

 

“You’re brave.” Derek teased. Stiles narrowed his eyes.

  
“Well, someone’s got to do it.” She laughed.

 

“Y’know, I wanted to say thanks for giving Scott and Stiles a little responsibility and letting them help out.” Derek elaborated, making Stiles’ eyes narrow even _further_. “They get in trouble if they don’t have enough to do.” He razzed Stiles’ hair like some ten-year-old boy.

 

“No, they completely helped me out,” Sophie clarified. “Really, they were total lifesavers.” She insisted.

 

“Well let me know if you need a hand with anything else.” Derek offered. “I’m happy to help.”

 

“I will, thanks.” She nodded, looking down at her basket.

 

“We’ll see you around, Soph.” Stiles said, nudging Derek and their cart along. “Come on, Isaac is hungry.”

 

“Should I give you my number?” Derek asked, his little charge still trying to nudge him down the aisle.

 

“I’m sure Stiles is willing to share.” She turned slightly. Stiles wanted to laugh at the site of _the_ Derek Hale getting lowkey dismissed.

 

“Uh right, well, nice to meet you.” Derek recovered.

 

“Same to you.” Sophie waved slightly. Stiles finally pushed Derek hard enough to get the cart rolling and they continued on through the grocery store.

 

“Was she…”

 

“She doesn’t always wear a bra.” Stiles smirked.

 

Sophie went to the end of the aisle, eyeing up the male pair that was heading toward the freezer section. Derek was hot, there was no denying that. But she didn’t come to Beacon Hills looking for a man. She came to teach for a year or two, get some experience on her resume and head back to a city that had at least two Starbucks locations. Besides, Stiles was one of her only friends… were they friends? Nevertheless, Stiles and Scott were pretty much the only people she knew in town and didn’t want to jeopardize their friendships by dating their older brother. Were they actually related?

 

Forty feet away, Derek was trying to catch his own reflection in the glass door of the freezer case as Stiles eyed up an 80-count bag of pepperoni pizza rolls.

 

Granted, it was a long time since he dated anyone, but he stayed in shape, he dressed well and never missed a haircut.

 

“Geeze, what did the door do you to?” Stiles asked, tossing a few things into the cart.

  
“What?” Derek asked, snapping back to reality.

 

“You’re glaring at that thing like you want to melt a hole in it.” Stiles said, taking the cart from Derek’s hands again and pushing it along.

 

“I’m not.” Derek replied.

 

“Oh my God, you’re mad!” Stiles laughed. “You want Sophie’s number!” He accused.

 

“Could you be any louder?” Derek hissed, looking around.

 

“You do!” Stiles all but howled.

 

“If you don’t shut it, you have to put back all the pizza rolls.” Derek threatened.

Stiles mimed zipping his mouth shut and locking it at the corner before tossing way the key.

 

[][][]

 

Sophie was so excited she could burst. She was finally being let into her classroom to start decorating. School was starting in three weeks and she had already planned her first semester of lesson plans.

 

She’d have two rotations of classes, 30 students from 8:50 to 11:05 and 25 from 12 to 2:50. Armed in her favorite sundress and a pair of gladiator sandals, she grabbed her big box of décor and rolled up to room 212 at Beacon Hills Middle School. She didn’t miss the chance to grab her phone and take a photo of the Ms. McLaren plaque on her door. She was a real teacher with her very own classroom.

 

By noon, she had her posters up, her desk organized and her file folders ready to be filled.

 

She had enough for the day and knew anything else she wanted to get settled, she could come and in and do next week before class registration. She’d also be in at the end of the week to be a part of the “meet the teachers” night for anxious parents whose kids were transitioning from elementary to middle school.

 

“So-phie!” She paused her Instagram post to look over to where the middle school’s parking lot melded with the high school’s – spotting Stiles and Sherriff Stilinski.

 

“Hi Stiles! Hi Sherriff!” She called, changing her route. They met in the middle. “How is everyone?” She asked, shaking John’s extended hand.

 

“Good, just finished my registration for senior year.” Stiles said, holding up his schedule.

 

“Oh, let me see.” She insisted, grabbing the document. “Honors English, AP Bio, AP U.S. History – nice,” she interjected. “Calc… Recreation and Leisure?” She asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

“I needed an elective!” Stiles tried to justify, making his Dad laugh.

 

“Lots of good classes in here, you’re going to be busy.” She noted. “Ready for this one to head off to school in a year?” She asked John.

 

“I think we’ll see if he makes it through the next nine months.” John said, clamping a hand on his son’s shoulder.

 

“Well I’ve told Stiles this, but if you ever need a hand – with college stuff or classes, don’t hesitate to give me a call.” She insisted. “I’m more than happy to do what I can to help.” She added.

 

“Thanks Soph, I appreciate it.” John smiled. “Look, we do family dinner on Tuesday nights, why don’t you come over?” He asked.

 

“Oh, I couldn’t impose.” She replied.

 

“You’re not imposing if we invite you.” Stiles pointed out.

 

“Come on and humor an old man,” John smiled, “Stiles friends come, too. Besides, if my kid moved states away, I’d feel better knowing he had someone looking out for him.”

 

“Trust me, Dad is thrilled I’ve befriended the Sherriff,” said Sophie. “Tomorrow night? I’ll be there.” She confirmed.


	3. The Big House

One thing Sophie’s aunt taught her was that it was bad manners to arrive to a dinner empty-handed. So, she threw together a pan of boxed brownies spruced up with some chocolate chunks and caramel swirls and threw on another sundress – this time, with a bra.

 

“Hey Sophie.” Scott McCall greeted with another Leave-it-to-Beaver smile.

 

“Hey Scotty.” She said as he ushered her in.

 

“Brownies!” He said excitedly, taking the pan from her hands. She grinned, following him into the kitchen where it seemed most of the party was congregating. “Sophie’s here.” He announced, peeking into the pan under the silver lid.

 

“Scott!” A woman who Sophie had not yet met reprimanded.

 

“Oh, Soph, this is my Mom, Melissa.” Scott said, introducing the two.

 

“So nice to meet you.” Sophie smiled, shaking Melissa’s hand.

 

John at least let her help set the table to help her feel useful as everyone else assisted in the meal prep.

 

“Sophie, what kind of beer? We have wine, too.” John called as Stiles brought in the tray of burgers and chicken from the grill on the deck.

 

“Any kind of beer.” She insisted, walking back into the kitchen.

 

“That’s my girl.” John grinned. “Derek and Ize should be here in a minute.” He said as the front door opened.

 

“Speak of the devil.” Melissa laughed.

 

“Which one of us is the devil in this case?” A young boy who must have been ‘Ize.’

 

“Sophie, you haven’t met Isaac!” Stiles said excitedly, tugging her over. “Soph, this is Isaac, Isaac this is Sophie.” He introduced.

 

“Stiles talks about you all the time.” Isaac smiled, looking over Sophie’s shoulder at Derek. _And Derek thinks about you all the time._ He wanted to add.

 

“Sophie.” Derek greeted. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t take an extra moment getting ready after Stiles surrendered the information that Sophie would be joining the Stilinski family Tuesday night dinner.

 

“Hi Derek, nice to see you again.” She greeted.

 

“I think you’ve finally met everyone.” John laughed. “This is the crew.”

 

“Honored to be a part of it.” Sophie teased.

 

“Okay, everything’s on the table, let’s eat!” Melissa called. Derek practically strong-armed Scott to grab his seat across from Sophie, flashing his eyes at him. Scott rolled his eyes, taking the seat next to John instead.

 

Dinner was a lot more fun than Sophie had expected. The food was great and she enjoyed watching John’s distaste as he wrapped a chicken breast in a lettuce leaf in lieu of a cheeseburger on a sesame bun. Sophie could feel herself gravitating toward Isaac who sat to her right. He was quiet, seemed very sweet and only spoke up when addressed. Derek always handed him plates of food after grabbing what he wanted. It was an interesting dynamic.

 

She also couldn’t help but notice Derek’s eyes on her throughout the meal. She did like the look of his gray t-shirt under the black cardigan. Also, who was allowed to have eyes that color?

 

They sat around and talked for a good 45 minutes after they all finished eating. It was worth noting again how much Scott and Stiles ate – only paralleled by how much Derek and Isaac could put away. Isaac even discreetly picked the last of her neglected chips off her plate. From what she had gathered, Melissa’s ex-husband was no longer in her life nor Scott’s. It was clear that Stiles mother was not a part of the equation, but she had yet to figure out why.

 

She also hadn’t heard mention of Derek or Isaac’s families.

 

“So Sophie, is there a Mr. Sophie in Denver?” Stiles asked, still trying to steal a drink of Derek’s beer.

 

“Nope, no Mr. Sophie in Denver.” She laughed.

 

“Single Girl’s club.” Melissa raised her glass.

 

“Brownie time?” Isaac asked, scooting just a little closer to Sophie. To anyone else at the table, it wasn’t odd. Isaac was an incredibly touchy-feely person and reveled in physical touch.

 

“Sure, let me get them!” Sophie said, hopping up from her seat. “Who else wants one?” She asked.

 

“I’d maybe just bring the whole thing out.” Melissa lent a piece of sage advice. Right, human garbage disposals.

 

She grabbed a plate from the cupboard she’d seen John open up earlier. The least she could do was plate them up. Finding a spatula, she carefully lifted them out and stacked them onto the platter before popping them into the microwave for fifteen seconds.

 

“Oh my God.” Scott drooled at the sight of the brownie tower.

 

“Those smell amazing.” Isaac commented. Soon, everyone at the table had a chocolaty treat.

 

“I promise, they’re just Betty Crocker.” Sophie laughed. Derek watched as she practically licked the silver off of her fork eating her dessert.

 

“Sophie, why did you want to become a teacher?” John asked, eyeing up a second brownie, but knowing his soon wouldn’t let him get away with it.

 

“I like kids and history,” Sophie began, taking a sip of her beer. “It’s job stability,” she added, “and it means I can kind of work anywhere.” She finished.

 

“Smart girl.” John raised his glass. Derek nearly jumped out of his skin as her foot made contact with his leg. A mistake, but one he felt nonetheless.

  
Not too long after, dinner was wrapping up and John and Melissa were yawning.

  
“You kids heading to the big house?” Melissa asked.

 

“Yeah, movie night.” Isaac smiled. “Sophie, you have to come.” He added.

 

“What’s that?” Sophie asked, not paying attention as she grabbed the lid for her pan.

 

“Movie night at Derek’s,” Stiles said, “come with.” He added.

 

“You guys don’t want me crashing.” She shook her head.

 

“Come on, Sophie, it’s not crashing.” Scott rolled his eyes. “It’s fun! Plus there are only so many nights of summer left.” He tacked on the guilt. “Come with.”

 

“Fine, but I’m stopping home quick to change.” She said. If they were going to be hanging out and watching a movie, she wasn’t going to sit around in a dress.

 

“I’ll ride with you,” Stiles said. “Unless you remember how to get to Derek’s…” he suggested.  
  
“Not a clue.” She laughed.

 

Half an hour later, she was pulling up to the enormous house that backed up to a thick wooded area, parking the Touareg next to a hot, little black Camaro.

 

“What does Derek do?” She asked, shifting her gear into park.

 

“Um, not a whole lot at the moment.” Stiles said quietly.

 

“How does he afford this place?” She asked. Stiles swallowed, wondering if Derek could hear him at the moment as they sat in the driveway.

 

“Well… it was his family’s house.” Stiles began, “He… he’s actually one of two surviving members of his family. There was a really bad house fire here and almost his whole family died a few years ago.” Sophie couldn’t control her expression as her jaw dropped. “He used some of the money to rebuild the house and has been trying out a few career options since then to find out what he wants to do.” Stiles finished, “But he’s definitely not going hungry.”

 

“I… Wow.” Sophie exhaled.

 

“He’s a good guy, been through a lot.” Stiles sighed. “He takes really good care of us, too. Isaac especially.” He added. “Also, let me know if that gets to be too much. Isaac needs physical contact and he gets attached quickly.” He added.

 

“Isaac is fine,” Sophie assured, “he’s adorable and harmless.”

 

They both entered the house and Derek tried his best not to stare at Sophie who looked so soft in her Colorado Avalanche sweatshirt and plain black sweatpants.

 

“Sophie,” Isaac smiled. “I’m so happy you came.”

 

“Can’t turn down a good movie night,” she reigned herself in from openly gaping at the opulent, cavernous home.

 

“Let me give you a tour,” Isaac insisted, hopping up from the kitchen island where Derek was scrolling through his phone.

 

“Isaac,” he warned.

 

“I give a really good tour, “ Isaac practically whined. “I won’t show her your underwear drawer or anything.” Sophie giggled and Derek could feel his resolve weaken.

 

Sophie followed an excited Isaac around as he showed her an all-granite kitchen, a big, inviting family room where Scott and Stiles had already thrown themselves down on the couches. Next was the living room, study and den before heading upstairs to the bedrooms.

 

“That’s where Scott and Stiles stay,” He opened a door to a spacious room with two full beds, dressers and desks with en suite bathroom and double walk-in closets. The room actually looked very lived-in. “Down the hall is my room.” Isaac said with a little more gusto as she followed him into a neat bedroom. The walls were tastefully decorated with trophies, ribbons and photos as well as a few small paintings.

  
“These are great, Isaac, did you paint these?” She asked, watching as Isaac practically glowed in response.

 

“It’s a hobby,” he blushed. Bless his heart, he was adorable. She scanned over the photos of he and Derek at various events – sports games, Isaac in a jersey of some kind of a field, school events and others with the same group she had just shared a meal with. No sign of parents or siblings. Were he and Derek somehow related?

 

“Wow, are you a reader, too?” She asked, seeing the overflowing bookcase on the perpendicular wall next to a little loveseat.

 

“I love to read.” He replied. His bed was made neatly with a small, brown teddy bear against the pillows and what she believed to be a lacrosse stick in the corner.

 

Isaac’s room also boasted a walk-in closet and an en suite bathroom.

 

“There’s another bedroom on this level, one in the basement, and two on the third floor,” Isaac commented as they walked down the hall. “This is Derek’s room, but he’s touchy about his space.” He added, placing his hand on a door at the end of the hallway.

 

Derek’s ears perked up as Isaac and Sophie entered the main floor once again.

  
“Beautiful house.” Sophie smiled, “great tour guide,” she bumped shoulders with Isaac. Isaac bloomed pink as Derek slid him a bowl of popcorn across the countertop.

 

“Thanks.” He acknowledged. “Built it up myself.” He added.

 

“Well then you definitely should have been around three weeks ago,” Sophie teased, “I’d really like to add another half bath to my place.”

 

“That can be arranged,” Derek replied.

 

“Come on! Movie’s starting!” Stiles called impatiently from the family room.

 

“Do you want a blanket, Sophie?” Isaac asked, leading the way over to the couches.

 

“I’d love a blanket, Ize.” She nodded. Isaac happily reached down into the big, woven basket beside the couch and grabbed a thick, soft blanket for his new friend who smelled so nice. He saddled up beside her on the couch and nestled the popcorn bowl between them.

 

“What are we watching?” Derek asked, taking a seat on the couch adjacent to Sophie, grabbing his own blanket.

 

“Ferris Bueller.” Scott grinned.

 

“We’ve watched that a hundred times!” Derek groaned.

 

“It’s the best!” Stiles countered. Sophie just smiled, nuzzling further down into her blanket and popping another piece of popcorn into her mouth.

 

It was nice spending time with the group. They were funny and obviously loved each other a lot. Isaac slowly leaned more and more into her side throughout the night and ended up asleep, his head just a hair away from her shoulder as it rest against the back of the couch.

 

Derek was fidgety. He wanted to be close to Sophie. He wanted to tuck that piece of hair that had escaped her bun behind her ear. He wanted to lick the taste of popcorn off of the back of her teeth. She looked so warm and content that it made his chest purr. Scott had caught him a few times with a rolling rumble throughout the movie.

 

By the time the movie ended, it was almost eleven and Sophie had been caught yawning a few times.

 

“Bedtime.” Derek gently shook Isaac awake. The sandy-blonde teen groaned quietly as he came to. “It’s late, Ize, head upstairs.” He moved the blanket off of him.

 

“Night ev’ryone.” He grumbled.

 

“I’ll be right back.” Derek assured – and he was, padding down the carpeted stairs again a few moments later. Scott and Stiles already began the trudge up to the bedrooms, bidding Sophie a good night.

 

“Hey, if you don’t want to drive home, there’s open beds here.” Derek insisted, “I know it’s late.” He added.

 

“I don’t mind.” Sophie shook her head. “I’m a night owl anyway.” It made Derek’s stomach twist a little to think about her driving home this late alone.

 

“I’ll walk you to the door.” Derek insisted.

 

“The boys, they all stay here often?” She asked, tilting her head as she grabbed her car keys from her pocket.

 

“Stiles and Scott stay here a lot in the summer, odd weekends during the school year,” Derek explained. “Isaac is a year younger than the other two, he’s here full time.” He confirmed her suspicions. “Isaac doesn’t have parents that are around,” He whispered quietly. “His Mom passed when he was young, Dad was an abusive loser who died a few years ago.” He added, making her heart clench. “Brother died in the service.”

  
“Oh, Isaac.” Sophie could feel her eyes welling.

  
“He’s been here with me for the past three years.” Derek added. “He’s a good kid.” He finished.

 

“Completely.” She agreed. “He’s lucky to have you.”

 

“Hey, I meant it, if you need a hand with the house, don’t be a stranger.” Derek said as they paused in the doorway. “I know what it’s like to be… on your own.”

 

“For sure,” Sophie nodded. “Thanks for the movie.” She thanked him. “Have a good night.”

 

“You too.” Derek said as she walked to her car.

 

Sophie’s mind was racing as she drove the short jaunt back to her house. Derek’s whole family had died? So had Isaac’s – and he was abused? That group had certainly been through a lot and she had yet to find out where Stiles’ Mother was. She was glad they at least had one another.

 

She did sleep a little better that night knowing she had made friends in the patchwork family.


	4. Sweltering

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to hop on here and say thank sos much to everyone who left kudos on the first three chapters! Totally thrilled people are reading! I believe it starts to get smutty in the chapter after this, so hang in there! Leave a comment with your predictions :) xx

It was the last Sunday in Beacon Hills before school started and it was _sweltering_. Sophie’s air conditioning could hardly keep up and she could only eat so much ice cream. It had been this hot for the past four days, temperatures lingering near the mid-90’s.

 

She was at least trying to make the most of it with a big, soft towel spread out in her backyard. If it was going to be this hot and sunny, she’d try to get a tan out of it. Beyoncé bumping from her speakers and an enormous glass of lemonade beside her, she set alarms every five minutes to keep from falling asleep.

Half an hour into tanning her front side, she barely registered her front doorbell chiming. Wrapping a towel around her body, she padded through the little main floor of her house before swinging the door open.

“Derek.” She said, surprised. She hadn’t seen him in over a week since they’d watched _Ferris Bueller’s Day Off_ at his house.

Derek couldn’t control the noise, he really couldn’t, but he was thankful for the music streaming from her phone as he let out a little whine.

“H-hey, I was just doing some landscaping at my place and Scott and Stiles mentioned you didn’t have a mower here.” He motioned to an enormous pickup truck parked out on the street in front of her house. “Thought I could offer my services.”

“You’re so sweet.” She said, surprised. “But really, you don’t have to.” She added, “I was going to pay the neighbor boy twenty bucks." 

“I’ll do it for free and I do a pretty good job.” He countered with a smile. “I can even try baseball lines if that’s what you’re into.”

She laughed, thinking about her little postage stamp yard manicured to look like an MLB field.

“Well if you must,” she began. “But I’ll make lunch, I insist.” She added, to which Derek nodded.

“Doesn’t help that it’s as hot as it gets outside.” Derek sighed, “of course I pick today of all days to the yard work.” He shook his head. “Front and back yard should only take me an hour tops.”

“Lunch will be ready by then.” She nodded. “Help yourself to whatever in the meantime, I’m going to go… put on some clothes.” She blushed.

They went their separate ways and Sophie ran upstairs to her room, dropping her towel and pulling a tank and shorts on over bikini. What did she have in her fridge that she could make? She then remembered that Derek ate enough food to feed a suburban family of five. Luckily, she had made a run to the grocery store the day before and would have enough to put something together.

Finding a perfect loaf of bread in her breadbox, she decided to make Italian subs. Everyone liked sandwiches, right? She stood at her kitchen counter, assembling layers of meet, cheese, spicy oil and aioli. Now was as good a time as any to slice up her cantaloupe. She reached across the counter and her eye caught Derek in the backyard, pausing the mower, removing his shirt over his head and wiping his forehead with it. She felt a little bad. Reaching into her fridge, she grabbed her pitcher of lemonade before pouring some into an enormous glass of ice and stepping onto her tiny back deck.

“You doing okay?” She called, padding down the three steps to the grass. Derek snapped his attention to Sophie, mouth watering at the sight of the cold glass that was already covered in condensation. “Thought you might appreciate a sip.” She held the glass toward him.

“ _God_ ,” Derek groaned after downing half the glass.

“Here, let me take that.” She motioned to his shirt. “I can clean it up quick.” She insisted.

“It’s… kind of damp.” He grimaced as she took it in her hands.

“Don’t worry about it.” She insisted as he also handed her back the empty glass.

“Should be done in twenty minutes or so.” He commented.

“Perfect, lunch is ready when you are.” She nodded, “I’m gonna head back in.” The heat was already making her feel like she was baking. 

Sophie set the glass on her kitchen counter before heading down to the basement. She figured if she scrubbed the shirt in the utility bin instead of running it through the washing machine, it could dry and be done in time for Derek to head home after lunch.

  
What Sophie didn’t consider was that now Derek would be shirtless while they ate lunch together.

  
“Thanks again.” Sophie smiled as she placed a full plate down in front of Derek.

“Wow, this looks great.” He commented. 

“Thanks, one of my Dad’s favorites.” She replied, taking her own seat. “Used to make it for him all the time.”

“Are you two close?” Derek asked, taking his first big bite into the sandwich.

Sophie weighed her answer. Derek had shared a lot about his friends and family over the past few days with her, the least she could do was be a little forthcoming as well. 

“Very,” She nodded, popping a piece of cantaloupe in her mouth. “My Mom skipped out on us when I was five, so he and I have been inseparable ever since.” She added. “It’s really tough on him that I’m this far away.”

“I’m sorry,” Derek frowned. “That’s something I never really understood with Scott’s Dad, either.” He added.

“I learned to stop questioning it years ago,” Sophie replied, taking a drink of her lemonade. “I’ve learned a lot from it, really. It’s made me understand the kind of Mom I’d like to be.”

The rumbles in Derek’s chest were a hair below audible.

“I know the feeling,” Derek spoke up, having already downed one half of his sandwich, able to see another one on the kitchen counter. “Having Isaac in my care for the past few years has taught me a lot, too.” He commented.

“How did you end up taking him in?” Sophie began, “if you don’t mind me asking.”

“Not at all,” Derek shook his head. “It was a matter of the fact that he had no living family, close or extended. I knew John and Melissa, with their respective careers, weren’t going to be ready to take on another teenage kid – and Isaac and I have been close for years. He’s always been like a little brother to me.” Derek added, “It just seemed natural.” He shrugged.

“Well, you’re a great guy for doing that.” She placed her hand on his on the tabletop. “He seems really happy.”

The two of them made small conversation as they finished their food about school and college.

“School wasn’t my thing.” Derek confessed. “I didn’t hate it, but I definitely didn’t have the attention span.”

“It’s not for everyone, I know that.” She said, picking up their dishes and bringing them over to the sink. He quickly followed. If she was going to wash, the least he could do was dry. “But at least you figured it out before wasting thousands of dollars on college,” she added. “I have a lot of friends that did two or three years at DU before realizing they were paying for something they didn’t want or need.” She finished.

It didn’t take long at all to clean up and soon Sophie was walking him to the door. 

“Well thanks again, appreciate it.” She said, crossing her legs in front of him.

“Anytime.” Derek replied easily. “I could swing back in a few weeks.” He offered. She considered it.

“Only when it’s convenient.” She replied. “If you want to do the lawn, then the least I can do is provide lunch.”

“It’s a deal.” Derek nodded.

 

[][][]

 

“ _Oh my God_.” Lauren all but gaped as she reviewed the pictures of Derek that Sophie text her from Stiles’ Facebook page. There weren’t many, but Isaac had a few, too.

“I know.” Sophie nodded, out of the view of the webcam. 

“Dear God, Soph, why haven’t you climbed him like a tree?” Laruen asked.

“It’s a weird situation.” Sophie began, “First of all, he’s like an adoptive Dad to one of the guys in the little group of friends I’ve made.”

“Wait, how old is he?” Lauren interrupted.

“I think 25? 26?” Sophie said, dropping onto her bed.

“Okay, so the excuses?” Lauren prompted from her own bed miles away in Denver.

“Anyway, so he’s too close to this friend group I have, I wouldn’t want to make it weird. Plus… I mean, he’s a _townie_.” She sighed. “I don’t think he’s ever left Beacon Hills, don’t think he ever _will_.”

“Babe, I’m not asking you to marry the guy,” Lauren rolled her eyes. “I’m just saying, throw a saddle on ‘em and ride him into the sunset! God he has a body like a jungle gym.” She all but purred.

“He is very attractive.” Sophie commended. “He’s like… a _good_ guy, too, taking in his friend like that. It’s kind of obvious the kid needs someone.”

“The last thing I’ll say about the subject matter is, find out how big his dick is and let him buy you a few dinners.” Lauren shrugged, making Sophie laugh. She really missed her best friend.

 

[][][]

 

“Soy iced chai, right?” The barista asked, recognizing Sophie from her third stop in that week. “And a French cruller?” He added.

  
“Yes please.” Sophie flushed pink. 

“Anything else?” He asked, ringing up the order.

“One dark roast,” a voice chimed in behind her, “make that two crullers.” She watched a tanned hand slide a $20 bill on the counter top beside her.

“Derek,” she greeted. “You didn’t have to do that.” She insisted.

“Always good to get on a teacher’s good side, right?” He asked, wondering how she was that good looking so early in the morning. Her hair was swept into a braided knot at the base of her head and she wore another soft looking Denver University sweatshirt with a pair of ripped up jeans. Topped off with a pair of slides, she looked comfortable and cozy.

“What are _you_ doing up so early?” She asked. 

“I like to get to the gym while it’s empty.” He shrugged. “Come here sometimes to read.” He held up a worn paperback. She opened her tote up far enough to flash her own book.

“You don’t like to watch the cardio queens hit the elliptical?” She asked as the barista set their drinks up on the counter. “C’mon, I want to get the comfy chairs before someone else does.” It was just before eight in the morning on a Saturday, but the store still had a few people lingering.

Derek followed her dutifully to two deep, cushioned leather chairs in the corner that faced one another and were pushed curiously close together.

  
“What are you doing up so early on a Saturday morning?” Derek asked as they sunk into their respective seats. 

“Training myself to wake up.” She laughed, carefully maneuvering her feet so they didn’t bump him as she crossed her legs. “If I stay at home, I’ll end up asleep.” She added, taking a big bite of her donut, letting her eyes flutter shut.

 

“That good?” He asked with a small grin. Derek didn’t smile a lot, but his eyes said a lot more than his mouth.

 

“Do you ever take a bite of something and start hearing Hozier’s _Take Me to Church_ start playing in your head? Because that’s how I feel right now.”

“Can’t say I’m familiar.” Derek replied, taking a bite of his own cruller.

“You’ve never heard _Take Me to Church_?” She asked, jaw dropped.

“I’m not big into music,” he shrugged.

“Not big – ” she scoffed, pretending to clutch her chest, “not big into music he says.” She eyed him, completely bewildered. “I guess we’ll have to work in that.” She surmised.

“I guess we will.” He mimicked, taking a sip of his hot coffee. They each settled into a comfortable silence, taking out their reading material for that morning. She had managed to sneak a look or two at him over the top of her latest Ruth Ware novel. The third time, however, she got caught. She grinned softly behind her book, raising it up a little higher. He mimicked her action, raising his own book, flicking his eyes to hers.

Another few moments passed and she uncrossed her legs, letting her foot drag softly across his shin as she crossed them over again. He gave her another peek. She was certain she read the same sentence five times in a row.

She crossed her legs again, letting the same foot drag across his jeans again.

He gave an exasperated little huff before flopping his book down.

“Soph – ”

“Hey you two!” They both snapped their attention over to Melissa McCall who was wearing a baby pink set of scrubs and holding a tray of coffee.

“Hi Melissa!” Sophie greeted, batting her eyelashes and smiling like butter wouldn’t melt.

“You’re both up so early!” She replied.

“Training to get ready for all the early mornings for the next ten months.” Sophie sighed. “I don’t know about this one, I think he just likes the pain.” She winked, making Melissa laugh.

“Derek, you’re still fine with the boys staying over tonight and tomorrow night?” Melissa asked, directing her attention to the Alpha.

“Yeah of course, they’re always welcome.” Derek said – something he knew was obvious. They had their own rooms at the home for God’s sake.

“Soph, he could probably use a hand with four rowdy boys in the house.” Melissa winked – so _that_ was her game. Sophie looked over at Derek with amusement.

“Are you a rowdy boy, Derek?” She asked.

“No,” he paused, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. “Jackson is back in town.” He finished. “Another friend of Scott and Stiles’.” He added. “We’re going to make pizza and probably goof around in the backyard or something.” He shrugged. “Maybe have a bonfire. I’m sure Sophie is busy with teacher things.” He offered her a way out.

  
“I’m not busy.” She smiled, “would be nice to do something other than sit in my house.” She added.

“Then you should absolutely go over.” Melissa encouraged.

“Yeah you’re more than welcome.” Derek finished.

So there, she would hang out with _the boys_ again tonight. She was still wondering if it was weird or inappropriate to be spending her time with a group of high school boys. As long as Derek was there, it didn’t seem too bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I low key love writing Lauren's interludes.


	5. Daddy Derek

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've made this one extra long (and I've been updating a lot more than planned) in hopes to see some comments from you! Let me know what you think!
> 
> Also, i overshot - smut starts in the next chapter which will be up saturday!

Sophie stared down into the little empty duffel. She was _packing a bag_ to stay at Derek’s house overnight like she was back in middle school again. Stiles insisted upon it. It would _ruin the vibe_ if she was in and out instead of staying over with the rest of them.

Throwing in a pair of jeans, some panties, t-shirts and toiletries, she figured if she really forgot anything else, she could run back to the house. Tossing her bag into her car, she checked her red lipstick – a product of her boredom and set off in the direction of Derek’s enormous home.

“Sophie!” Stiles exclaimed as he swung the door open upon her arrival.

“Hey Stiles.” She greeted, giving him a little hug.

“Come on, we’re making pizza.” He ushered her inside, showing her a spot she could throw her duffel and purse down.

“This one’s for you.” Isaac smiled, pushing a ready-made crust toward her on it’s own little baking sheet.

“Thanks, Ize.” She said, giving his shoulder a squeeze. “Ready for classes to start?” She asked as he inched closer to here where they both stood over the kitchen counter.

“No.” He shook his head. She laughed at his reply as more footsteps came pounding down the stairs.

Soon enough, all six occupants of Derek’s house were crowded around the kitchen island and Sophie was introduced to the finely manicured Jackson Whittemore.

Derek took the spot next to Sophie as they finished pouring ingredients into bowls. Tonight, they’d have an option of chicken, black and green olives, onions, bacon, pepperoni, peppers, pineapple, barbecue, sausage and mushrooms. It was clear that someone in the house took their toppings quite seriously.

“Soph, what are you doing?” Derek asked seriously as he watched her drop pineapple chunks on her pizza.

“…Putting my pizza together,” she looked up at him with a _duh_ expression.

  
“Pizza with pineapple on it is not pizza,” He replied, shaking his head.

“Um, this is delicious – and if it’s on a pizza crust, it’s a pizza.” She countered, fighting the urge to stick our her tongue as she then spread out slices of pepperoni. “Besides, you’re willing eating mushrooms, you don’t get to talk.”

“C’mon Isaac, you have to share!” Jackson spoke up, watching as the kid piled on mounds of pepperoni, sausage and chicken.

“Honey, at least humor me with some a spinach leaf or two.” Sophie laughed, causing the curly-headed kid to blush.

Not too long after, all six pizzas were piled into the industrial-sized oven and Derek was popping the cap off a summer shandy for Sophie.

“Thanks, bartender.” She grinned, taking a long sip. “My God, this is good,” she sighed. “I can’t remember my last shandy, the woman who works at the liquor store here seems very judgmental.” She added.

“Yeah, she is.” Derek laughed, popping the top off of his own beer.

“Do you feel like a suburban Dad of four?” She asked, raising an eyebrow and nodding her head toward the family room where all four boys were attempting to hook up the controller to the Xbox. She thought she saw Isaac laugh, but was sure he couldn’t hear her.

“Definitely.” He nodded in agreement.

“Good Dad practice.” She laughed, taking another drink of her beer.

_Do you really think it will be her?_ Derek’s ears picked up Jackson speaking to Isaac – thankfully out of Sophie’s range.

_I hope so_. Isaac replied. _We really like her._

Derek’s heart clenched softly at Isaac’s words. They did really like Sophie and she fit in so well with their group. That, and Derek could hardly stand being around her so much without tucking her under his arms or pressing his lips to his. He wanted her scent all over him.

“Ah.” Sophie sucked in a breath as she cut her fingertip on a sharp edge of the cap to her beer.

“Oh, careful.” Derek said, pulling open the designated “junk drawer” of the kitchen and cracking open an unused first aid kid. “Let me.” He insisted, holding his hand out. Sophie gave him a half smile.

“Not sure if it warrants a whole band aid.” She grinned. Derek held her hand up to his face gingerly, pretending to inspect it carefully.

“Mm, this is serious.” He commented, placing her hand down on the counter, unwrapping the band aid and wrapping it carefully around her finger.

“Wow, feels much better.” She complimented with a laugh.

“Safety first.” He replied. _Safety first? Really Derek?_

“Derek! Can I have a water?” He heard Isaac call.

“Isaac, get it yourself.” Jackson countered sharply.

“I got it.” Sophie insisted, shifting over to the fridge and grabbing a Dasani the same way she had seen Stiles do earlier. It made Derek happy to know she already felt comfortable enough in his house to work her way around it.

“Thanks, Sophie.” Isaac smiled as she dropped down on the couch next to him. He cracked the water open before taking a sip and resting his head against her shoulder.

“Da-ad! How much time is left!” Scott called, not taking his eyes off the screen where he was racing against Stiles and Jackson. 

“Five minutes.” Derek called back. Sophie flicked her eyes to the kitchen, seeing him scroll through his phone. Sure enough, in five minutes, they were all hovering over their pizzas

“Mmm.” Sophie moaned, her eyes closed. “Wow, this pineapple pizza is _so_ good.” Derek was on edge, goosebumps across his skin. Isaac, Scott and Stiles exchanged looks, able to hear his heartbeat skyrocket.

“It’s not, don’t lie.” Derek narrowed his eyes.

“Want some?” She asked, holding up a slice.

“Fine.” Derek replied, “put your money where your mouth is.”

“Fine!” She countered with a grin, suppressing a giggle as he leaned forward and let her feed him a bite. He frowned, chewing, knowing there was no way he could spit it out in front of her.

“How is it?” Isaac asked with a shit-eating grin.

“It tastes like someone spilled dessert on my pizza.” He replied.

“That sounds delicious.” Sophie took another bite of her dinner.

They mostly listened to Jackson talk about his travels over the summer and lacrosse, which Sophie was learning, was a big deal. From what she could gather, all the boys played on varsity and took it very seriously.

“Sophie, you should come to our game! First one is Friday.” Isaac chirped, finishing his pizza and eyeing up a slice of hers.

“What time is it?” She asked, pushing her plate toward him. He grabbed one piece and Jackson grabbed the other.

“Come on, guys.” Derek scolded.

“I don’t mind.” She insisted. “Besides, I brought dessert.” She added, making Scott cheer.

“It’s at five.” Stiles said, mouth full of his own pizza.

“I should be able to make that work.” Sophie nodded.

“You can sit with Derek.” Isaac suggested, grunting as Scott kicked him under the table. “He’s really superstitious.” He added, “always sits in the same place.”

“Alright, who wants to help start the fire? Should be dark enough.” Derek asked, standing up and collecting empty plates.

Scott and Isaac both jumped up eagerly, tripping over one another to run through the house to the backyard.

“I guess they do.” Sophie laughed.

“What kind of bonfire is this?” Jackson asked Derek, who shot him a look.

“The kind with s’mores.” Derek replied. _No one’s getting in their fur suit_. He thought.

“I’ll get chairs.” Stiles said, getting up from the table and bringing his own plate to the sink.

 

[][][]

 

An hour later, the group was more than settled around the bonfire, sitting in camp chairs and even with a few beers floating around. Derek was pretty keen on watching the boys. They were each allowed one drink as long as they behaved and didn’t leave the property. Isaac didn’t care much for his and opted to sip a Gatorade instead.

“We should play a game.” Jackson said, leaning back on the blanket he was sat on in lieu of a camp chair.

“Like what?” Sophie asked, sipping her own shandy. She was seated next to Derek under a blanket from the family room, enjoying her night a lot more than she thought she would.

“Truth or dare.” Scott grinned.

“No.” Sophie shot it down.

“Never have I ever!” Stiles countered.

“I haven’t played it.” She said, looking at Derek.

“You were in a sorority and you’ve never played ‘never have I ever?’” Stiles asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Okay just so we’re clear, sorority doesn’t mean your life is one big party.” She said, pointing the bottleneck of her drink at him.

“You go around, say something you’ve never done, and if anyone else has done it, you take a drink.” Derek explained.

“This can’t be appropriate, I’m going to end up in jail,” Sophie mumbled, looking at Derek. She wasn’t going to point any fingers at the two kids who set up the fire, but her chair was _much closer_ to Derek’s than any other of the chairs.

“I’ll start.” Jackson said, leaning back on his palms. “Never have I ever… gotten drunk at Derek’s house.” Sophie eyed the bunch of boys sitting around the fire, watching as Derek and Scott took drinks.

“You!” Derek laughed, pointing at Scott. “I knew my bottles looked light.”

“Never have I ever…” Isaac began, “skipped class to play video games here.” He finished.

“Rat!” Stiles laughed, taking a drink.

“Stiles!” Derek rolled his eyes. “You’re all getting me in trouble with your parents.”

“Never have I ever hooked up with a girl in the basement.” Isaac grinned.

“That just makes you look sad,” Jackson commented as he, Stiles and Scott took a drink.

“Sophie, your turn.” Stiles insisted.

“Me?” Sophie sighed, trying to think of something that wasn’t going to make her feel like a class A creep in a group full of underage boys.

“It doesn’t have to be crazy.” Derek whispered. “I just try to think of something I know they haven’t done to make them skip a drink.” All she could think was that his breath smelled good despite the fact he was drinking a beer.

“Okay, never have I ever gotten drunk at a hockey game and sang the national anthem at the top of my lungs to the point that I distracted players on the ice.” She listed off.

“I feel like you’re lying.” Scott narrowed his eyes.

“You like hockey?” Jackson asked, shifting his attention to the woman his Alpha was pining over.

“Love it,” she nodded. “One of the reasons I went to DU – college hockey on the weekends and I could get to Avalanche games during the week.” She explained. “It’s fast-paced, skilled and has a ton of history. Plus, hockey players are hot.” She finished.

“Derek goes to Sharks games.” Stiles lied.

“You do?” Sophie asked.

_I do?_ Derek looked as surprised as she did.

“Uh, yeah.” He nodded in the affirmative. “One or two.”

“You guys should go to one,” Isaac piped up, “The drive’s not too far.”

“That would be a blast.” Sophie smiled excitedly. “Logan Couture is awesome.”

“Yeah.” Derek nodded, having no clue who she was talking about. He was more of basketball guy. “Awesome.”

 

[][][]

 

“So, there’s more blankets in the closet.” Derek explained as he showed Sophie to the room she was staying in that night. “There’s a bunch of water in the mini fridge.” He pointed to the little appliance on the other side of the room under the desk.

“Thanks.” Sophie sucked in a breath, tossing her bag down on the queen-sized bed. It was past one in the morning and the boys had all wandered off to their rooms to crash. Her room was directly across the hall from Derek’s and one door down from Isaac’s. Stiles and Scott were further down the hall and Jackson was staying in one of the bedrooms on the third floor.

“If you need anything else, just give a holler.” Derek said, lingering the doorway. He wondered what she was going to wear to sleep.

“I will, night Der.” She smiled.

“Night, Sophie.” He replied, giving a knock to her doorpane and heading to his own room. Sophie changed into a pair of Nike spandex and a long-sleeved tee, risking going braless in a house full of boys before hopping on her bed.

**To: Lauren Fitz  
** _Night one went well. Derek doing the ‘Daddy’ thing is kind of hot._ She text to her best friend. _Still feels weird spending all this time with high school boys_.

**From: Lauren Fitz  
** _Are you trying to get some jailbait?_ Her friend replied. 

**To: Lauren Fitz  
** _God no! I literally feel like a mother hen._

**From: Lauren Fitz  
** _Then it’s not weird. Send pics of Hot Derek, I need to confirm he’s still good looking._

Sophie rolled her eyes at her friend, bidding her goodnight before pulling up Netflix and watching an episode and a half of Parks ‘n Rec. Then she heard it. 

Someone sounded in distress. She was never the type to shy away from a mysterious noise in the night. Even more so, it sounded like it was coming from Isaac’s room. She waited a moment, holding in a breath before hearing it again – a sad whimper. She hopped out of bed, padding across the room and the hall, knocking on the door softly.

“Ize?” She called to no reply. “I’m going to come in.” She warned gently.

Pushing the door open softly, her heart broke at the sight of Isaac curled up so tightly on his bed, holding his arms and sounding utterly troubled.

“Ize, sweetheart.” She approached his bed carefully, placing a hand on his shoulder. On instinct, she placed her other hand to his forehead to check for a fever – something she always did when babysitting the little boys she grew up with across the street. “Honey,” she shook him softly. “You’re having a bad dream.” She spoke quietly. A few moments later, his eyes blinked open, looking impossibly bright and sad. 

“I’m sorry, Soph.” He mumbled, rubbing his fists into his eyes. “This doesn’t happen a lot.”

“It’s okay, no need to apologize.” She insisted, running a hand through his hair, giving him a small smile. “Try and sleep.”

“Will you stay until I fall asleep?” He asked, sounding incredibly vulnerable.

“Sure, honey.” She said, looking around the room, eyes landing the loveseat. She ran her hand through his hair again, letting her fingernails graze his scalp and watched as his jaw instantly relaxed and he melted further into the mattress. She pulled his blanket up a little higher over his shoulder. “I’m just going to sit right over there.” She insisted. He watched as she padded softly to the love seat, covering herself with the throw blanket there. “Y’know, in college, I tried to learn how to play hockey.” She began, hoping to get him to smile a little before falling asleep again.

“You did?” Isaac asked, snuggling down into his blanket.

“Yeah, I begged…” She quickly edited her story, “my friend bought me all the gear and skates, it was like two grand.” She added, keeping her voice low and even. “I was okay at skating, but any time I would try to swing a stick or shoot a goal or pass the puck, I fell down.” She watched a little smile pull at Isaac’s lips in the dark room. “I had bruises all over my butt for months.” She smiled at her memory, “they ended up moving me to the class for elementary kids.” She kept talking until she could see his eyes drifting shut again. Eventually, she found herself asleep on the loveseat as well.

 

[][][]

 

The morning came quickly, all of the boys in the house were early-risers. Sophie was not an early riser, that, and she had a significant crick in her neck from sleeping on the tiny loveseat in Isaac’s room all night.

“Sophie.” She felt a little shake on her shoulder, “Soph.” Her eyes blinked open wearily to the sight of a freshly showered Derek Hale.

“Der’k?” She mumbled.

“I know it’s early, but you said you were training to wake up earlier.” He commented. “It’s just after seven.” 

“Isaac?” She asked, feeling a little more coherent.

“He’s okay, downstairs eating his weight in pancakes.” Derek watched as she threw her blanket off. He immediately trained his eyes to her shoulders to keep them off her bare legs.

“Pancakes?” She asked.

“Downstairs, lots of them – at least until Scott and Jackson get back from their run.” Derek suppressed a smile.

“’Kay, I’m coming.” She said, pulling herself off the couch and stopping in her room long enough to pull on a pair of sweatpants and grab her cell phone.

“Soph,” Isaac smiled, seeing her enter the kitchen. Stiles slid a plate of pancakes and bacon down in front of the empty seat behind the junior.

“Good morning.” She smiled back, running a hand through her hair and taking the empty seat.

“Thanks for…” Isaac trailed off quietly.

“Anytime, sweetheart.” She said, looping an arm around his shoulders to give him a squeeze.

“Nice shirt, Soph.” Stiles commented before taking a long drink of chocolate milk. She looked down to her ‘shut your five hole’ tee with a goalie silhouette.

“Thanks.” She laughed, “it was a gift.”

Derek returned to his station at the griddle, shirt off and in a pair of warm, _inviting_ looking flannel pants. His inner wolf was rumbling with pride for Sophie, knowing she had comforted a member of his pack – arguably the weakest member and looked after him so carefully. She sacrificed her comfort for his. Now she sat around the kitchen table like a member of the family, eating the breakfast he prepared for her.

Sophie eyed Derek carefully as Stiles chattered with Isaac. As stealthily as she could, she opened up the camera on her phone and snapped a photo of the chef. Stiles and Isaac both pretended to be oblivious, but she was not great at being discreet.

She sent the photo off to Lauren before setting her phone down on the table.

“No run for you this morning?” Stiles asked, sliding her a glass of chocolate milk.

“Running? Me? God No.” Sophie shook her head. “I only run if I’m being chased.” She added. Isaac watched as Derek cracked his neck from side to side.

“Alright, when tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum get back, you’ve got half an hour before we run to the store.” Derek said, flipping the last few pancakes onto the platter.

“Where are we going?” Sophie asked, taking a bit, syrupy bite of pancakes.

“School supply shopping.” Isaac said, “best day of the year.”

“Oh my God, I love school supplies.” Sophie moaned, sipping her chocolate milk. She certainly had the attention of the table now. “I mean, can you really be surprised? I’m a teacher. School supplies gets me goin.’” She shrugged.

“So then, would you like to joins us, or would you rather have some private time at Office Depot?” Stiles asked, dodging out of the way just in time to miss a smack to the arm.

“Bacon!” Scott cheered, practically ripping the door off the hinges as he and Jackson jogged into the house. He didn’t stop, swiping the plate and running through the house.

“Hey!” Derek called, frowning. “Stiles, go get your brother.” Stiles dutifully got up from the table and chased Scott up the stairs.

“Good morning, Sophie!” Jackson wrapped his sweaty, disgusting arms around her, laughing as she all but screamed and tensed up.

“Get off! You’re so gross!” She squealed, face screwing up in distaste.

“Jackson, don’t be a brat.” Derek tried not to laugh at Sophie’s dramatic face. Jackson darted up the stairs.

“I need four showers.” Sophie mumbled, abandoning her breakfast and heading upstairs as well.

“She needs a shower.” Isaac said smartly, eyeing up his Alpha. “Go see if she needs some help scrubbing her back!” He insisted.

“Isaac, finish your breakfast.” Derek poured himself a glass of orange juice. 

“C’mon Derek, make a move!” He all but whined. “We all like her!” He added, “we all want it to be her – your wolf recognizes her, right?” Isaac asked, to which Derek nodded.

“I’m working on it.” Derek mumbled, bringing his plate over to the sink.

“Work harder.” Isaac whined again. Derek rounded the counter to the table, locking Isaac in a gentle headlock.

“Don’t worry, it’s going to be her,” he razzed Isaac’s hair.

“It will be so nice to have her.” Isaac mumbled.

“I’ve got to talk her quickly, stay down here.” He advised, giving him one last squeeze before heading upstairs. Derek heard the shower shut off and wandered aimlessly around his room until he figured it was safe to knock on Sophie’s door.

“Soph?” He called, knowing Scott and Jackson could hear him in their room down the hall.

“Just a moment!” She called back. He could hear the rustle of cotton and elastic. A minute or so later, her door swung open and he was bombarded by the scent of shampoo, damp skin and _Sophie_. He carefully took in her appearance, wearing what he was coming to recognize as her signature daisy duke shorts, a Kappa Phi Beta tee and her hair air-drying over her shoulder.

“Mind if I come in?” He asked, noting the very short distance between the two of them and the fact that he was still shirtless from sleep.

“Sure,” she acquiesced, opening her door further and letting him step inside.

“I just wanted to say thanks for helping out Isaac last night,” Derek began, “he filled me in to what happened. He’s been doing really well for a long time, but sometimes the nightmares flare up for a few days or so.” He explained.

“It’s nothing, really,” Sophie insisted. “I was just doing what anyone else would do.” She took in a deep breath. “Are they really that bad?” She asked, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.

Derek rubbed the back of his neck with a nod. “It can get bad. It’s gotten a lot better and I think the worst is behind him.” He shrugged, “but once and a while he has bad nights.” He finished.

“Anytime I can help.” She assured, “I’m happy to.” He placed a hand on her shoulder lightly, letting it glide down to her elbow, giving her a squeeze there.

“Thanks.” He said with a soft nod.

“Derek!” Stiles called from the main floor, “are we going or are we going?” He called. Sophie giggled.

“They run your show, huh?” She asked teasingly.

“A self-inflicted wound.” He sighed.

“Oh, Derek, what are you guys doing?” Scott asked as he wiggled his eyebrows, pausing in the doorway of the guestroom.

“Trying to think of which one of you gets to clean the kitchen after breakfast.” Sophie shot back with a sarcastic little smile.

“Noted.” Scott said before booking it out of the kitchen.

Derek watched her chase him out of the room and shook his head. She was exactly what he didn’t know he was looking for.

“Isaac!” Sophie laughed, looking at the teen on the couch who was happily scrolling through her phone. He casually looked up at her.

“What?” He asked, still scrolling as he flicked up and down.

“Phone please!” She asked, hopping on the couch net to him.

“You took a sneaky photo.” Isaac grinned, having read the text she got in reply from her friend Lauren. “Lauren approves.” 

“Isaac!” She scolded, snatching the phone back and resisting the urge to sock him one in the shoulder.

**From: Lauren Fitz  
** _He looks like the kind of guy you’d call Daddy to his face. Hop on that homegrown eight-pack ASAP._

“I think it’s only a six pack.” Isaac commented.

"Okay, now we keep our thoughts to ourselves.” She narrowed her eyes, sticking her phone in her back pocket.

“C’mon parents, let’s go!” Jackson called.

“Dial it back, boys.” Derek murmured. He didn’t want Sophie scaring off.

“How are you guys so energetic and loud? It’s too early.” Sophie whined as Isaac pulled her off of the couch.

He led her into the garage, which housed an obnoxiously large Chevy Suburban. Derek held open the passenger door for her and she smiled graciously. Her Dad would have approved. 

It turned out, spending time with the rowdy bunch wasn’t so bad after all.

 

[][][]

 

It was always nice to be eased into a new school year on a Wednesday. It gave Sophie three days to lay down the law before her classes really got down to business the following Monday. By lunch, she was tearing into her packed brown bag, devouring her sandwich, chips and mandarin. What she really wanted was a big bowl of chocolate ice cream and her favorite pair of sweatpants instead of the black pencil skirt and baby pink blouse she had picked out for the third day of classes. There was nothing like finishing the first week on her period – as if it wasn’t stressful enough.

Thankfully, she had some wonderful students that didn’t give her too much grief. They were still intimidated by the middle school halls to be too destructive and seemed eager to learn. She even got an apple or two waiting on her desk when she walked in. That, and it was one of the few guaranteed weekends she’d have nothing to correct or plan.

Making it through her first three days went as well as it could have. It was much different than she imagined to be running her own classroom as opposed to when she was student teaching and supplementary.

For now, she was happy to be heading out on a Friday afternoon back to her house to change and then over to the high school for the boys’ first lacrosse game of the season.

When she rolled up to her house, she saw a black Camaro parked out front. The familiar face of Derek as he got out of the hot little car was the spark of comfort she was looking for.

“Hey you.” She smiled, getting out of the Touareg.

“Hey Ms. McLaren.” He responded, making her roll her eyes. She held the front door to her house open behind her. “Thought you could use a ride to the game.” He offered.

“Was the big house empty today with all the kids gone?” She asked, dropping her keys on her entry table.

“It was,” Derek nodded, “but it let me get a lot of work done in the yard.” He added. She had heard him mention a few times that he had an interest in landscaping and was working on his own yard as a showcase area. She liked to daydream about him hauling bags of soil shirtless in the hot sun, covered in a shining layer of sweat. So it worked out well for both parties. “Actually, you’re about due for some maintenance, too.” He referred to her lawn.

_You can mow my lawn anytime._ She surprised even herself with that thought.

“I’m going to run up and change for the game, help yourself to anything in the fridge.” She said, dropping her tote bag by the kitchen counter. It was a postage stamp compared to his kitchen, but it was still home. In the past three months, she had really started to feel at home in her little bungalow.

Derek wandered around her first floor, checking out photos and knick-knacks.

“What’s their school colors again?” She called from upstairs. He could hear the zipper of her skirt and the soft _whoosh_ of cotton as it fell to the ground.

“Maroon and white.” Derek called back, flopping onto the couch. He picked up the throw pillow and brought it up to his face, inhaling softly.

“I don’t own anything maroon! I have crimson, but not maroon.” Sophie frowned. She ditched the tight skirt and blouse and treated herself to a pair of black leggings and a soft white v-neck.

“I’ve got a spare sweatshirt in the car, I think it’s Isaac’s or Scott’s.” Derek offered.

“I’ll take it.” She agreed, slipping her feet into a pair of new, black Chuck Taylor’s. She ran a hand through her hair and grabbed her phone, ID, debit card and pack of gum before heading back downstairs. Derek’s chest rumbled as he took in her appearance, she looked soft and smelled fertile. He wanted to smush her between his body and the couch and rub himself all over her.

She poked her head into her fridge and pantry. Sure there was great produce and some roasted seaweed, but her Aunt Flo was demanding grease and salt.

“Is there any chance we have time for a burger and shake before the game starts?” She asked, “I’m kind of dying here.” She said, her shoulders bunched up by her ears and tense.

“Yeah, we can do that.” Derek agreed. She watched as she winced subtly, placing a hand on her lower stomach.

“Okay, I’m ready for my first lacrosse game,” She declared.

“Let’s go, there’s a McDonald’s we can hit before going to the stadium.” Derek said, opening the front door again.

“That’s the most romantic thing anyone’s ever said to me.” She said wistfully, making him shake his head.

Derek had never seen someone look so happy to be eating a big sleeve of French fries and sucking down a chocolate shake. The odds of getting a bite to eat with the boys after the game was high, so Sophie opted to forego the burger.

“Want a bite?” She offered up her fries. Derek shook his head. “What, no carbs for the six pack?” She asked teasingly.

“Stomach doesn’t process potatoes well.” He replied. Sophie’s jaw dropped and she reached across her body to cup his jaw.

“You poor thing.” She all big whimpered. He laughed dryly. “I don’t know what my life would be like without potatoes.” She said honestly. “Actually, I’d probably be a lot more in shape.” She added.

“You’re in perfect shape.” Derek commented, causing a pink blush to bloom on her cheeks.

Sophie would be lying if she said she didn’t enjoy the feeling of Derek’s hand on the small of her back as he led her through the gates of the stadium to the bleachers, paying for her $2 ticket.

“So this is the seat, huh?” She asked. They were not quite centerfield, leaning toward the home bench. There were a surprising amount of people at the game and she flushed with pride seeing her little gang. Scott and Isaac waved excitedly white Jackson looked as if he was in the zone and Stiles was having a referee inspect his stick. “Oh look at them in their little uniforms!” She grinned, patting Derek’s leg. 

“I’m sure they’d love to hear that.” Derek replied, looking back at her. It was acting on pure instinct when he brought a hand up and rubbed it gently between her shoulder blades, seeing as they had crept up to her ears again. “You okay?” He asked. It was incredible the amount of relief his touch brought her.

“Long week,” she joked, both of them knowing it was only a three-day school week. _And my period is fucking killing me_ – she wanted to add. The last day was always the worst for her.

“Now you’ve got all weekend to relax, right?” Derek asked, to which she nodded. The metal bleachers were cold and she found herself scooting just a little bit closer to Derek.

“I haven’t been to a high school game in years.” She said thoughtfully, crossing her legs and leaning further into her date for the afternoon.

“High school was not my favorite time.” Derek offered a little information about himself – something that was not as common.

“Yeah right,” Sophie replied, “tall, handsome, good manners.” She listed off, “I bet you had the ladies all over you.” She insisted, nudging her shoulder into his.

“I was tall, but I went through a serious awkward stage,” he said as the game tipped off in front of an excited crowd. “That, and I was a bit of a jerk, I really thought highly of myself.” He slipped a small smile.

“Cocky high school Derek, huh?” She asked.

“Something like that.” He replied.

“Oh look, our boy has the ball!” She said, watching as Isaac took off down the field on a tear. “Look!” She said again, squeezing Derek’s knee. “Oh!” Her jaw dropped as Isaac passed the ball to Scott before he lobbed it past the opposing netminder. Sophie jumped out of her seat, cheering. “Yeah, Scotty!” She cupped her hands around her mouth. “Good job, Isaac!” She added.

Sophie was the first to jump on the junior as he exited the locker room after the game.

“You did so good!” She squeezed him tight.

“Thanks, Soph,” he blushed profusely.

“I’m so proud of you!” She said, thankful he had recently showered. “Come on, treats on me.” She said, looping her arm around his shoulders and leading him out to where Derek was waiting in the bleachers, already talking to Scott and Stiles. “Where’s Jackson?” She asked, huddled into Isaac’s side for warmth. It was hardly cool out, but the breeze was enough to give her a little shiver.

“He’s on his way home, he thought he was getting sick.” Stiles replied, adjusting his bag over his shoulder.

“Der, where can we get these boys some ice cream?” She asked, walking with her little group back to the parking lot.

“Wait, can we get real food?” Stiles asked, “we’re starving.”

Stiles followed Derek and Sophie in his Jeep with Scott and Isaac, driving out to Theresa’s – a Mexican place requested by Scott.

“So is Derek going to get a move on with Sophie or what?” Scott asked, messing with the radio.

 “He better hurry,” Isaac spoke up from the back seat. “Or he’s going to get friendzoned.” He added.

“At what point do you think he has to tell her?” Stiles asked, “definitely going to be a fly on the wall for that conversation.”

  
“Hey Sophie, I know we’ve been talking for a while now, but just thought you should know, every one and a while, I turn into a wolf the size of a Volkswagen Jetta.” Scott mimicked Derek’s deep voice, sending Isaac into a fit of laughter.


	6. It's Not a Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much everyone for the love on the last chapter and for my first comment! If you're liking the story, let me know in the comments section below :)
> 
> Here we go, everyone. It's smut time.

_Sophie wriggled sleepily, tilting her hips back into Derek’s morning wood. He pressed his face into the back of her neck, breathing in deeply as he slid his left hand up her body to cup her breast softly over the fabric of her cotton tee._

_“Baby,” she said breathily, surrounded by his warmth. She could feel herself getting hot under the covers as her center throb gently. She knew what she wanted from him._

_“Sleep good?” Derek mumbled, pressing his lips to her skin._

_She twisted in his hold, flipping around slowly until she was facing him, slotting his thigh between her legs and tucking her head under his chin. She kissed the base of his neck before pushing herself closer, the thickness of his thigh pressing against her swollen sex felt incredible. “Mmph,” she garbled out, rolling her hips in the slightest against him._

_“Oh yeah, that what you want?” He asked, running his hands down her back and letting them land on the curve of her butt. He could feel his erection start to gain interest as the slick from her sex rubbed gently onto his thigh. “Take whatever you need, baby.” He murmured into her ear, encouraging her along as he placed his hands on her hips while she rocked into him gently._

_“D-Der.” She whimpered, finding the perfect angle that tweaked her clit just right as she rubbed up against his thick slab of muscle. She reached up, cupping a hand around the back of his neck as the movements of her hips became more frantic and rapid. He slanted his mouth down over hers, kissing her deeply as she panted soft little moans into his mouth._

_“Want a little more, baby?” He asked, flattening his hips against the mattress. He dragged her into a straddle over him, carefully hooking his index finger into her panties and pushing them to the side - she was wet. She nearly cried at the contact when the underside of his erection nestled perfectly between the lips of her sex under the cotton of his boxer briefs. She gathered the strength to reach down into the button of his briefs, pulling out his gorgeous cock and letting it lay flat against this stomach before resuming her position. This time, as she slid up and down the underside of his cock, she let out a goosebump-inducing moan whenever the blunt head of his erection caught mercilessly against her clit._

_“Oh fuck,” she whined, bracing her hands on Derek’s chest. “Fuck, Derek,” she sped up again, “you’re so big.” She whimpered. A few moments later, she was trembling as she came, collapsing down onto his broad chest to catch her breath._

_“Hi baby.” He ran a hand through her hair and kissing her temple. “Are we having a good morning?” He asked._

_“Best morning,” she all but purred, curling her arms between their chests and closing her eyes again. “What time is it?” she asked, moaning happily as he pulled their comforter up over her shoulders, surrounding her in warmth._

_“Seven,” Derek replied, already knowing what she was going to say._

_“It’s the weekend, not supposed to be up this early,” she all but whined._

_“Go back to sleep, I’m not going anywhere.” He rubbed up and down her back gently._

Sophie awoke with a start, a hand on her chest. It seemed so incredibly real.

“Jesus,” she laughed to herself, fanning her face as she slid out of bed. It was bright and sunny on Sunday morning and what she really wanted was a plate full of Derek’s pancakes. But for now, she’d settle for some oatmeal and fruit down in her own kitchen.

Padding downstairs in her pajamas or a white men’s tank top and a pair of pink boxers, she slid open all of her windows. It was hot – _still_. Her plans for today consisted of laying out in the backyard on a blanket, getting some sun and finishing her book.

Not twenty minutes into tanning session, she heard grassy footsteps coming around the side of her house. She fumbled with the strings of her bikini top, quickly tying it back up 

“Soph?” Derek.

“Hey, Der.” She greeted, still laying on her tummy with her sunglasses perched on top of her head.

“Sorry to interrupt, but I brought my mower by – was just working on my place.” He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to keep his eyes as north as possible.

“Let me get your opinion on something,” She bookmarked her page, getting up and approaching him. Even she could see his Adam’s apple bob dangerously. She brushed past him, standing in the five-foot walkway between her fence and side of her house. “Do you think I could put bushes or flowers here?” She asked, motioning to the blank area up against the house.

“Yeah, I could do that,” Derek nodded. “Anything you have in mind?” He asked.

“I have to get it cleared by my land lord, but I was thinking lilac bushes or something?” She suggested, to which he nodded again. “And a pool, a big, cold pool with a deep-end and a diving board.” She said, pointing to her miniscule yard.

“A pool, huh? That’s what you want?” Derek asked with a grin.

“I’d probably quit my job and sit out by it every day.” She sighed dreamily.

“The pool is not so doable, but the lilac bushes are easy.” He finished. “We could go to the nursery this week and pick something out, I mean, after you talk to Doug and Barb,” he spoke of the old couple who owned the house.

“Perfect,” she smiled. “let me get my blanket out of your way.” She said, padding carefully back out to her little space and gathering it. Derek took that as his cue to head back to his truck and bring the mower around. It was the definition of a small yard, but he always found himself paying extra careful attention to the weeds along her fence, the dandelions around the back of the house and the young lone tree in the back corner. “Holler if you need me!” She called from the back deck, sliding the glass door shut. He raised a hand with a nod. She’d wait a little bit then mix up a glass of lemonade to take out to him. Heading upstairs to change out of her swim suit, she’d be lying if she said she didn’t pull her blinds down and peek out to where Derek had started up his mower, waiting half a second before peeling his shirt up over his head.

“Fuck,” she mumbled, her dream from that morning coming running back full-steam. Whose shorts were those, by the way? She wondered, checking out his ass in the silky black basketball shorts. She wondered how far off her dream was. Derek turned toward the house and she dropped like a sack of potatoes. Did he see her?

Derek tried not to grin, cranking the motor of the lawnmower. He definitely saw her.

An hour later, Derek was packing his lawnmower back into his truck after many gracious ‘thank you’s’ from Sophie.

“Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, Soph,” Derek smiled. If he insisted.

She practically ran back upstairs and pulled open her top drawer, grabbing her trusty vibrator. She _was_ going to enjoy the rest of her Sunday.

 

[][][]

 

“Okay, so let’s read through chapter five by Friday and we’ll do a review, I want everyone ready for the test Monday!” Sophie called as the last bell of the day rang. It felt every bit of a Wednesday and she was ready to go home, change into her sweatpants and binge watch True Blood on HBO – a recent splurge of hers.

That, and she needed to find a way to hang the massive mirror that ran the length of her sofa in the family room.

“Ms. McLaren!” She turned in the parking lot to see Stiles and Scott waving her down from the high school parking lot.

“Mister Stilinski, Mister McCall.” She laughed.

“Can we get a ride to Derek’s? Mom’s got overnight and so does Sherriff.” Scott replied, heading toward her Touareg.

“Of course,” she nodded, “where’s the Jeep?” She asked as the piled in.

“In the shop,” Stiles said sheepishly. “Derek said he’d come get us, but he already brought us in this morning.”

“No problem, guys,” she turned the car over, cranking the air conditioning. “Guys, when does it get cooler around here?” She asked.

“January,” Scott replied smartly. “Aren’t you from Miami?” He teased.

“I was never meant to live in the heat, boys.” She sighed.

“Hey, Derek is making ribs tonight,” Stiles spoke up as they headed further away from the school.

“Derek’s ribs are amazing,” said Scott.

“Guys, I can’t just invite myself over for dinner,” she laughed.

“You’re not, we’re inviting you over,” Stiles replied.

“I have plans, boys.” She insisted.

“Plans?” Scott asked. “What, like a date?” Why did he sound so nervous? 

“You have a date?” Stiles asked, not letting her get in a word edgewise, he looked rather offended as he sat in the passenger seat.

“I do not have a date,” Sophie rolled her eyes. “I’m doing some work on the house and having some me-time,” _and eating my weight in Chinese and maybe pulling out my vibrator again._

“Do you need help?” Scott asked politely. “While you’re not on a date?” He added.

“Nope, I’m good,” she lied. She could see him pout in her rearview.

They rolled up to Derek’s house to find him working on his Camaro in the driveway.

“Hi, Derek!” She called from the Touareg.

“Hey, Soph.” He smiled, something that didn’t happen too often, making her melt just a bit. “You want to stay for dinner?” He asked, “I’m grilling ribs.”

“Wish I could, but I have plans,” she replied, taking off her sunglasses.

“It’s not a date,” Stiles said, hopping out of the car.

“She’s working on her house,” Scott added, making Sophie roll her eyes and Derek shake his head.

“Sounds like a fun night,” Derek replied.

“Nothing like hanging a six-foot mirror to really spice up my life,” she smiled. “Ya’ll have fun tonight, see you later.” She waved, backing out the driveway.

 

[][][]

 

_An hour and a half later, she was on her second glass of wine and two eggrolls deep. Jade Temple recently started offering delivery. True Blood season one was playing on her TV and she was having a truly relaxing evening._

_She was surprised when her doorbell rang twenty minutes later. She looked down at her outfit of boxers and a white tank. Short of throwing a blanket over herself, she didn’t have anything else to throw on nearby. She crossed her arms over her chest before opening the door._

_“Hey, Derek,” she greeted. “What’s up?”_

_“Sorry for dropping by unannounced, but the more I thought about you hanging a six-foot mirror on your own, the more I pictured it ending in blood,” He said with a raised brow, making her laugh, stepping aside and letting him in._

_"If it makes you feel any better, I haven’t approached the mirror yet,” she teased, still keeping her arms across her chest, trying to look casual._

_“Brought some ribs,” he held up a brown paper bag._

_“You’re so sweet,” she smiled, her resolve weakening just a bit as she reached for it. “I’m going to set these in the fridge, you want anything to drink?” She asked._

_“No, I’m just fine, toolbox would be great, though,” he said as he inspected the big brown box leaning against the wall in her little dining room._

_“Sure, let me run and grab it,” she said, turning to walk upstairs. She threw on an old hockey jersey over her tank and grabbed her little red toolbox from underneath her guest bed._

_When she arrived back in the family room, the mirror was already unboxed, ready to be mounted and the carton it came in was compacted by the door._

_“You work fast!” She said, surprised._

_"Feels like I’ve done this a hundred times,” he shrugged. “Why don’t you show me where you want it.” He suggested._

_“Right over the couch here, centered.” She watched from the tile of the kitchen as he placed nails and hammered them in carefully. “You’re so handy,” she commented._

_“Built my house from the ground up, really,” he shrugged, “anything after that seems easy.” She watched his muscles bunch and stretch as he lifted the giant, gold gilded mirror and hung it perfectly over her couch._

_“It’s perfect.” She smiled and he returned it in the reflection of the mirror. “You in a hurry to get back to the house? Boys going to wreck it if you’re gone too long?” She asked._

_“No hurry at all,” he replied, “they know they have to pay for any damage, so they’re pretty well behaved.”_

_“Wine?” She offered, moving toward the kitchen. The wine glasses were the first to get unpacked when she arrived in Beacon Hills._

_“Sure,” Derek said, standing awkwardly for a moment before taking a seat on the couch. “What are you watching?” He asked._

_“True Blood on HBO,” she said, pouring his glass. “I know it’s an old show, but I never finished it when it came out, so I’m re-watching the series now.”_

_“Never heard of it,” he replied as she took the seat next to him, her knee pressing into his thigh as her foot folded under her._

_“Never heard of it?” She asked with wide eyes, “it’s so good, you should totally watch it.” She insisted._

_“Maybe I will,” he smiled softly._ You should smile more often _. “Why’s that?”_

_Sophie blanched when she realized she actually said those words instead of just thinking them._

_“You have a great smile, very straight teeth,” she said, “and dimples – girls love dimples.” She finished, poking him gently in the cheek, watching them appear again._

_“Do they?” He asked, leaning further into the back of the sofa._

_“Mhm,” she nodded, unfolding her feet from under her and draping her bare legs across his lap. “Totally gives you the ‘good boy’ look.”_

_“I look like a good boy?” He asked, not sure if he should say ‘thank you’ or be offended._

_“You’re a mix of good boy and… otherwise,” she grinned as his hand settled on her knee. “You’ve got the dimples, but you’ve got the muscles,” she gulped softly, raising her hand to squeeze his bicep gently. “You’ve got the bad boy car, but you also have your Dad car to drive the boys around… and you drive your bad boy car over to my house to hang my mirror.” She weighed all options, a coil in her lower stomach tightening as he slowly slid his hand up her thigh. “You’ve got this aw-shucks smile, but here you are, about to get under my shorts.” Derek leaned forward as did she, eying his pink lips like they were the perfect dessert._

_They both jumped as her phone rattled across the glass top of her coffee table._

_Derek looked down at the iPhone, offended by its presence, to see the photo of an older man on the screen with the word “Daddy” flashing at the top._

_“Sorry, got to answer this, Daddy gets concerned if I don’t pick up,” she apologized, hopping off the couch and grabbing the phone._

_“Hi Daddy,” she answered, walking to the kitchen. Derek took in a deep breath, adjusting himself in his shorts discreetly, trying not to eavesdrop. “Just having a relaxing night at home alone,” she turned back to look at Derek with a little smirk. “Oh did you? Well that sounds exciting,” she twisted the bottom hem of her jersey between her fingers. “Class is going well,” she said, reaching up and pulling her hair binder out, letting her hair fall down past her shoulders._

_Derek wasn’t sure what to focus on, his nerves running on high as she ended her call._

_“Sorry about that, police officer Dad assumes the worst when his only child who lives alone doesn’t answer her phone,” Sophie said, slowly walking back over to the couch. “Are you hungry? I could reheat some of this,” she said dropping onto the sofa. Derek’s hands redirected her from the cushioned seat to his lap, cradling her hips gently._

_“You smell… amazing,” Derek grunted, feeling the soft skin of her thighs in his hands._

_“That’s an odd compliment, but I’ll take it,” she laughed before he could recklessly place his lips on her neck. “Oh,” she gasped, his lips were as soft as they looked._

_“You taste like heaven,” he breathed into her neck. “I’ve been waiting so long to get my hands on you,” he added. Sophie grinned wider, tilting her head down and pressing her lips to his, winding her arms around his neck._

_“Guess you’ll have to keep waiting.”_

“Fuck!” Derek all but howled, shooting out of bed.

“Some of us are sleeping!” Scott called back.


	7. Woman Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy friday! thanks so much to those who have commented. here comes the visit with Sophie's Dad! Let me know what you think! :)

“Hi, Daddy!” Sophie all but squealed as she jumped into her father’s arms the moment she saw him at baggage claim.

“Hey baby girl,” David McLaren hugged his daughter tightly, “it’s hot.” He commented, making her laugh. “Thought it would at least be cooler than Miami.” He added.

“I know, it’s really warm,” Sophie agreed. “I have so much fun stuff planned for us, I can’t wait for you to see my house!” Sophie chattered the whole drive back to Beacon Hills and to her house, spotting a note tucked into her front door as she pulled into the driveway.

“Maintenance man?” David asked, reading the note over her shoulder.

_Bushes are ordered, should be available by Tuesday._

Derek had accompanied her to the nursery earlier that week to pick out her lilac bushes after her landlords had given the green light to add them to the yard. He came over and measured the space, drove them to the supply store and picked out a bush that would actually live in her yard.

“My friend Derek I told you about, he’s thinking about starting a landscaping business, said he would plant the bushes I want for free if he can use it as part of his showcase,” Sophie explained.

“And he just comes by the house, huh?” David asked, to which his daughter rolled her eyes.

“Small town, Daddy, that’s what people do,” she explained. “You’ll meet him tomorrow night at Sherriff Stilinski’s.”

It didn’t take long for word to get around to Derek that Sophie’s father was going to be in town for a few days that week and he was determined to make a good impression. He desperately wanted to win his approval so he’d have no qualms about them being together in the future – which he planned on making happen sooner rather than later.

He was going to get his chance at the family cookout that was moved from Sunday to Tuesday for the special occasion.

“Daddy, this is Sherriff Stilinski, Melissa McCall and Isaac Lahey,” she introduced her friends that were the first to arrive at the Stilinski house that night. Her Dad had been entertaining himself at her house all day, inspecting the property and doing a few handy chores she had left for him. She knew how much he enjoyed contributing.

“Sherriff,” David shook John’s hand curtly.

“Detective,” John reciprocated.

Derek and the rest of the group showed up twenty minutes later and not empty-handed.

“Sir, I’m Derek, can I interest you in a beer?” Derek asked, approaching Sophie’s father.

“Nice to meet you, Derek, I’ve heard a lot about you from Sophie,” David shook Derek’s hand with a little more muscle than anyone else. “Happy to take that off your hands,” he looked down at the Spotted Cow beer.

Sophie watched from the kitchen as Derek introduced himself to the detective, helping Melissa sort out the fruit salad.

“So, what do you think?” Melissa asked quietly, knowing her efforts were a bit futile in that house to be discreet.

“What do I think about what?” Sophie asked, slicing through strawberries.

“Your Dad meeting the guy you spend the most time with in Beacon Hills,” Melissa said casually.

“I’ll let you know when Stiles introduces himself,” Sophie nudged her shoulder into Melissa’s, making them both laugh.

“Burgers are done!” Stiles called from the back porch of the house. “Chicken will take another minute,” he added.

It wasn’t long until they were all seated around the table, David and John thoroughly enthralled in their own conversation – trading stories from the on the job.

“Saw your note about the bushes,” Sophie said, sitting next to Derek and taking a bite of her grilled vegetables.

“Yeah, I talked to the guys at the nursery and they said I could pick them up as soon as next Tuesday morning,” he said, watching as she dipped a bite of grilled chicken in ranch.

“What can you tell me about crew cut over there?” David asked John quietly, nodding his chin up and tilting his head back across the table toward his daughter and Derek.

“Good kid, grounded, smart as a whip, financially stable,” John listed quietly.

“No danger in my kid spending her time with him?” He asked, stabbing his piece of steak.  
  
“All clear,” John nodded. “Best possible outcome.” Derek’s heart thumped at what he considered a glowing commendation from the Sheriff.

David McLaren could see what his daughter liked about her group of friends, the adults were kind and sensible (and one was a cop), the kids were smart and easygoing and Derek seemed all right. He was glad she had a support system nearby for as long as he was still living in Miami. He figured it would be another 10 years or so until he retired to wherever she was living. He could see himself being happy here – though, he’d be happy wherever she was.

After his wife left when Sophie was a toddler, and went on to die an early death at the hands of hard drugs, she became his entire world. Wherever she went, he would follow. He looked forward to the days of being a grandpa and being around to be in his grandkids’ lives.

“When are you back in town?” Derek asked as Sophie and her father prepared to leave later that night. The more Derek looked at David, the more he could see his shared traits with Sophie - the same color eyes and the same slope of their nose. Sophie was in the family room handing out goodbyes and hugs while David tucked his feet back into his shoes in the entryway.

“Her plan is to head out to Miami for the holidays, so might be a while,” David sighed, tucking a thumb into his front pocket. “Keep an eye on her, okay?” He said, looking Derek dead in the eye. “She’s always had a knack for getting herself in a bit of trouble.”

“Will do, Sir.” Derek nodded as the detective stuck his hand out.

“And don’t worry, I’ll be keeping an eye on both of you from Florida,” he winked, shaking Derek’s hand.

 

[][][]

 

Derek could sense it the moment he rolled up to Sophie’s that Tuesday with the intent to pick her up before heading to the nursery – her lilac bushes were in. He could feel the distress.

“Soph?” He called into the house, ringing the doorbell once.

“Derek!” He heard a desperate voice call back. He practically broke the door down, unlocked as it was (he’d save the scolding for later) and bounding up the stairs. “Derek!” She called again.

His heart was pounding nearly uncontrollably in his chest as he found her on her bedroom floor, a whimpering mess with an enormously swollen ankle.

“Soph, what happened?” He asked urgently, dropping to the ground next to her. Her hair was soaking wet and she looked like she had just barely pulled on her short bathrobe.

“I slipped in the shower,” she bit her lip, trying not to cry, “dropped so fast, I heard a snap.” She sniffled. “I was just trying to get to my phone when I heard you call.”

Derek assessed her ankle, it was easily three-times the size of her other and was starting to take on a purplish-blue shade that was traveling just a bit up her leg.

“Soph, you’ve got a broken ankle.” Derek explained gently. “I’m going to call Melissa and tell her we’re coming to the hospital,” he added.

“I can’t go to the hospital like this! I’m practically naked!” She said, taking in a deep breath with a new wave of tears coming on. “It hurts so bad!” She said, the damn finally breaking as tears slid down her cheeks.

“It’s okay, we’re going to get some clothes on you,” Derek said, trying to calm her down. He placed his right hand under her calf where the bruising stopped. Had she been able to see the motion, she’d notice the faint lines of black extending from his fingertips to his wrist. “Okay? So I’m going to grab you a sweatshirt and we can pull it on right over your robe.” He insisted, standing up and hopping to her closet, finding the largest possible garment he could and slowly easing it on.

“Oh my God, can someone die of embarrassment?” She asked, covering her face with her hands.

  
“Nothing to be embarrassed about,” Derek replied. “Not your fault,” he added. “Now, I’m going to pick you up, okay?” He asked, giving her fair warning. 

“Okay,” she sucked in a breath. “Okay, I’m ready.” She nodded. The moment she was halfway vertical, the hem of her sweatshirt fell past her robe, making her feel less awful about going commando.

 

“How we doin’?” Derek asked, “what else do we need?” He asked.

  
“I need my purse,” she exhaled again, feeling the blood rushing to her ankle and making the throbbing significantly more prominent. 

“Okay, I’ll grab your purse,” he said, spotting the big, brown tote and tossing it over his shoulder. “We’re going to head down to my truck and I’ll call Melissa.” He explained what they were doing before so – and she was thankful for that.

“Holy hell, Soph, you managed to really mangle it,” Melissa attempted to lighten the mood as she watched Derek push her into the ER in a wheelchair.

“Help me,” Sophie frowned nearly comically.

  
“All right, good job, Derek,” Melissa sighed, knowing this wasn’t going to be fun. “I’ll take it from here,” she added.

“Don’t leave me,” Sophie all but begged, clamping her hand down on Derek’s.

“Okay then, let’s go,” Melissa obliged.

Four hours later, Derek was once again, pushing a doped up Sophie in a wheelchair. He was thankful that Melissa had helped out getting Sophie dressed in a pair of shorts she kept in her tote bag. He wasn’t going to question what women kept in their purses.

Personally, he was a fan of the neon pink cast that went from her mid-shin to her foot, her painted toenails just barely peeking out the very end. Sophie, not so much.

“You can go back to work in no less than 10 days, come back next week and every other week after that for the first six weeks.” Melissa explained, looking more at Derek than Sophie. “No weight on that whatsoever for three weeks.” She added. “I called your prescription in to the pharmacy.”

“Thanks Melissa!” Sophie grinned, her head resting on the back of the chair. “Derek, let’s go!” She commanded. He sighed, barely suppressing an amused smile. He got her carefully placed back into the car and exhaled softly as he weighed his options.

“Soph, we’re going to drive to yours, pack a bag and head back to my house, you’re going to stay with me until you can put weight on your left foot,” he explained.

“Can we get Chinese?” She asked innocently. The vicodin she was given at the hospital was certainly doing its job.

“We can get whatever you want,” Derek replied. “This way the boys and I can keep an eye on you,” he added. “When we get to my place, I’m going to call Principal Dewberry and tell him you’re going to need a substitute for 10 days.” He added.

“’Kay,” she said gently, running her hands along the windowpane.

Twenty minutes later, Derek was sure his face was bright red as he attempted to pack a bag for Sophie as she napped in the truck. He grabbed all the sweatpants, sleep shorts and yoga pants he could find, a big stack of t-shirts, a few sports bras and a handful or two of panties. He cleared his memory upon seeing the bright pink vibrator in her top drawer – _strategically_ hidden behind a few pairs of socks. 

Grabbing most of the toiletries from her bathroom, he padded down the stairs again, setting the alarm before closing the door.

The stop at the pharmacy took moments before they were at the big house. Soon enough, Sophie was surrounded on all sides on pillows, snuggled under blankets and propped up on the couch in front of the television in the family room. 

Derek figured at least one person could keep an eye on her there.

“Okay, so two of these twice a day with food.” Derek read off the bottle.

“Der? Will you come sit with me?” Sophie asked, pouting her lips out. Derek couldn’t deny that even on his strongest of days.

“Sure Soph, let me call in an order to Jade Temple, okay? I’ll have one of the boys pick it up.” He explained.

A few moments later, he was sat on the couch, watching a TV show where apparently, people helped pick brides pick out their wedding gowns.

“What good are you to me sitting all the way over there?” Sophie mumbled with a little scowl on her face. She looked adorable with her frown and he wanted to kiss her. “C’mere,” she commanded. The moment he was close enough, she tossed his arm over her shoulder and she nuzzled into his side. “’Yer warm,” she observed, “and you smell good.”

Derek had a harder time keeping that grin from appearing. He only wished he could touch her ankle and take some of her pain.

Derek wasn’t much for reality television and he was coming to terms with the fact that this definitely wasn’t the show for him. However, Sophie seemed content snuggled up to his side and he wasn’t about to disturb her much-needed rest. It wasn’t too long until he could hear soft puffs coming from her as her breathing evened out.

“Derek! I’m home!” Isaac called, fresh from lacrosse practice.

“Quiet!” Derek replied sharply.

“What’s the matter?” Isaac was in the family room in a split second. “Soph?” He asked quietly.

“She’s okay,” Derek soothed Isaac, whose heartbeat instantly skyrocketed. “She slipped in the shower this afternoon and broke her ankle.” 

“She’s okay?” Isaac asked, his eyebrows knit tightly with worry.

“She’s going to be just fine,” Derek assured him. “She’s going to stay here for the next week or so until she’s a little more mobile. “I’d really appreciate it if you could lend a hand when you have time,” he added. 

“Anything,” Isaac nodded.

“Mm, Der.’” She murmured in her sleep, nuzzling closer to him. Isaac gave his Alpha a pointed look.

“How much longer do you think we can go?” Isaac asked, “y’know, without telling her.” Derek sighed, knowing Isaac was right. 

“We’ll talk about it as soon as she’s better,” he decided, to which Isaac nodded.

He’d have to before things got any further – before he got more attached.


	8. Give Him a Chance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy easter ya'll! this chapter is WAY long and there is a lot that happens! a lot!
> 
> i would love to hear some thoughts from more of you! thanks to everyone who has left comments and kudos!

Sophie McLaren was a funny girl. She hated being doted on until she had just the right amount of painkillers in her – then, she’d love to be catered to like she was the Queen of England.

 

It was day three of bed rest for Queen Sophie and the boys around the house loved it. It was nice having someone new around the house – and a woman for that matter.

 

“Hey baby,” Sophie smiled as Isaac snuggled up next to her on the sofa. Her hand immediately began stroking through his hair. “How was school?” She asked.

 

“Fine,” he mumbled, happy to be home.

 

“Just fine?” She pressed.

 

“Stressful,” he answered truthfully, “I’m so bad at English and we already have our first exam coming next week.”

 

“Isaac, let me help you,” she insisted. “I’m a teacher,” she reminded him.

 

“I know, but you need to focus on getting better,” he replied, happily resting his head on her shoulder. “Besides, I’m going to start seeing a tutor,” he added.

 

“You know you can always come to me for help,” Sophie said, twirling an errant curl of his around her finger. “But seeing a tutor is a great idea,” She appraised. “Sweetheart, I love you, but you stink,” she said quietly. “Why don’t you go hop in the shower? “ She sent him upstairs.

 

“How we doing?” Derek asked, passing Isaac on the stairs as he came from a shower of his own, running a towel over his hair.

 

“Good, Isaac is seeing a tutor,” she said matter-of-fact. “Our boy is so smart,” she sighed happily as her eyes closed and head lolled back against the couch. Derek’s wolf preened happily at her use of words.

 

“He is,” Derek nodded. “You thirsty? When’s the last time you ate?” He asked.

 

“When you made me lunch like half an hour ago,” she said smartly. “I’m not hungry,” she added.

 

“What’s on today?” He asked, flopping down beside her. “The wedding dress one? Or the screaming women from Beverly Hills?” He asked.

 

“Wedding dresses,” She replied happily. They watched the show together quietly for a few moments before she spoke up again. “I’m starting to smell,” She said poignantly. “I need to shower,” she sighed.

 

Derek swallowed.

 

“If you wrap me up in plastic,” she wiggled her pink cast, “and you’re just kind of… nearby, I think I can manage.” Derek mulled his options in his head. The shower in the basement was river rock and a waterfall head with plenty of places to hold on to.

 

“Okay, I think we can make it work,” he nodded. And they were right, she wiggled herself into the shower, happy there was no tub to step into and was able to wash her hair and face.

 

Derek leaned against the countertop of the sink, torturing himself as he held tightly onto the towel he had at the ready.

 

“You good in there?” He called, not even daring himself to take a glimpse at the frosted glass – not that he could see anything but a very faint shadow.

 

“Almost done!” She hollered back. “Oh my God, this feels amazing,” she sighed happily. Another moment or two passed before she shut the water off. “Towel!” She demanded. Derek took a few steps closer to the opening, closing his eyes and opening the towel. After he was all wrapped, he helped her hobble to the closed toilet and she shooed him from the room to pull on a bra and tee. The underwear and shorts took quite a bit longer.

 

“Good?” He asked from outside the bathroom. Jackson watched with great interest as Derek paced outside of the bathroom. When he stayed at the Hale House, he typically took up residence in the basement-level bedroom. It felt the most private.

 

“Derek!” She called, making Jackson laugh. Derek turned, entering the bathroom again to see a fully dressed Sophie sitting on the toilet seat with her hair French-braided into two pigtails. How she did that under the influence of heavy painkillers, he’d never know. In a swift motion, she was back in his arms for just a brief moment before he placed her on the couch. He then reached for an array of pillows, propping them behind her back, under her knee and ankle and under each elbow before draping a blanket over her.

 

“You’re the best,” she grinned happily.

 

“She all looped up still?” Jackson asked.

 

“It should be hitting her soon, she just took her afternoon dose,” Derek explained. “I’m going to run to her house to drop those bushes in, will you make sure everyone behaves?” He asked, “I won’t be gone long.” Jackson nodded in the affirmative.

 

“Jack,” she mumbled, reaching her hands out of her blanket cocoon and making grabby hands.

 

“Okay,” he sighed, scooting over and slinging an arm around her shoulder.

 

“Thanks Jackson,” Derek said again before disappearing upstairs. Jackson didn’t complain as much as Sophie asked to watch _Say Yes to the Dress_ and even offered input from time to time.

 

“You dress well,” she said lolling her head onto his shoulder. “You should pick out some clothes for Derek, all he wears is bro tanks and henleys.” She mumbled, making Jackson bark out a laugh.

 

“Yeah he needs a collared shirt or two,” Jackson agreed, “but you should still give him a chance.”

 

It was then that Stiles and Scott bounded down the stairs two at a time.

 

“Give him a chance?” Sophie asked, eyes growing wide when Stiles presented her with an iced soy chai.

 

“Give who a chance?” Scott asked, flopping down on the ground at Sophie’s feet.

 

“I’m telling Sophie she should still give Derek a chance even though he dresses like he’s fourteen,” Isaac explained.

 

“Oh yeah, you definitely should,” Scott agreed, “Derek’s great.”

 

“The best,” Stiles chimed in. “He’s really smart and he makes really good pancakes.” Stiles added.

 

“And he’s like the best Alph – the best friend to us ever,” Scott took direction again.

 

“We’re you going to say Alfred?” She giggled, making Scott’s eyes nearly close with a smile that took up all of the space between his ears.

 

“He’s also hung like a horse,” Jackson commented casually, taking a drink of his pop.

 

“Jackson Whittemore!” She gasped, reaching out and weakly punching him on the arms. “You can’t say that to me!” All three boys cracked into laughter. “Hearing those words come from your cute mouth makes me so uncomfortable.”

 

“I’m just saying,” Jackson shrugged. “It’s good to know.”

 

“That doesn’t surprise me,” she giggled again.

 

“You really should give him a shot,” Stiles said sincerely.

  
“You’re all such good boys,” she sighed, closing her eyes and letting herself drift off into sleep for the afternoon.

 

[][][]

 

It was Sophie’s second day back at school since getting her cast on and she was ready to go home by lunch. Thankfully, her students were polite and helpful and she was able to stay off her feet all day.

 

That, and Derek was picking her up from her classroom to carry her supplies as she used her crutches to get out to his car in the parking lot. She was getting pretty good at navigating her crutches and decided she would go back to her own house on Thursday in two days’ time.

 

“Thanks, Der,” she smiled gratefully as he buckled her into the truck. He found it was easier to get her in and out of the truck than trying to lower her out of the Camaro.

 

“You know you don’t need to thank me all the time, right?” He asked with a little grin as he buckled his own seatbelt. “The less you’re agitating your ankle, the faster it heals,” he recited back the same thing they were told by Melissa.

 

“I feel useless,” she sighed. “I haven’t done anything on my own other than brush my hair in so long.”

 

“You’ll be back in your house before you know it,” Derek replied reluctantly as he drove them back to the big house.

 

“I miss my little house,” she agreed.

 

“What sounds good for dinner tonight? It’s just us, Isaac is staying over at Scott’s.” Derek explained. “Stiles and Jackson are home.”

 

“Let’s order something, you’ve been cooking every meal for the last week and a half,” she said, giving him a pointed look. “It’s time for you to have a break,” she insisted.  


“I don’t mind,” he replied, pulling into his garage a few moments later.

 

“I know you don’t,” she said, hoisting herself up onto her crutches. “What did you do today?” She asked, following him into the house.

 

“Went on a run bright and early, started on the trees in the yard here, hit the gym, went by your place to check on things, cleaned the basement because that’s one trick Jackson still hasn’t learned…” he sighed. “Scheduled a few appointments for a land surveyor to come out.”

 

“See? You need a night off.” She said, sitting down on the couch in the family room. “We can order pizza, watch a scary movie.” She said excitedly. “We have delayed start tomorrow, so I don’t have to be at school until eleven.” She explained.

 

“Okay,” he smiled, looking down at the coffee table. “But I’m not eating any pineapple pizza.”

Sophie was tired of sitting on the couch. It felt like that was all she did the past week and a half and she was certain she could feel her ass getting fatter.

 

“Something wrong?” Derek asked, reaching into the pizza box on the coffee table for his eighth piece.

 

“Ugh, I’m just so tired of being here,” she sighed, making his face fall into it’s signature scowl. “I don’t mean _here_ like your place, but the couch. I’m tired of sitting and not getting to do anything. I haven’t worked out in weeks, I can feel my thighs getting chunkier, I swear.” She went on.

 

“Seems a bit dramatic,” Derek commented before taking another huge bite of dinner.

 

Sophie reached forward, picking up the television remote and turning it off before adjusting her body to face Derek. She leaned her back up against the arm of the couch – her good foot tucked under her and her casted one resting on the table. Her pose showed off her long, smooth legs in a pair of Nike Pro shorts. Along with an old college tee, she was going for comfort, not style.

 

“Tell me something I don’t know about you,” she prompted, leaning back and resting an arm along the back of the couch. Derek had a very deer-in-the-headlights look to him.

 

“Something you don’t know about me?” He asked, setting his plate down.

 

“I mean, if you think about it, I don’t know a lot about you,” she shrugged. “At this point, you could still kill me and people would still say ‘she didn’t know him very well, she couldn’t have seen it coming.’” She said pointedly, causing Derek to roll his eyes. She loved getting him to break his usually calm demeanor.

 

“What do you want to know?” He asked.

 

“Oh, I know!” She said excitedly, wiggling in her seat, “we can play two truths and a lie. Have you heard of it?”

 

“I know it,” he nodded. “But that means you have to do it, too.” He watched as she nodded with a little smile. “Okay… I’m allergic to mushrooms, I’ve had an appendage reattached, I’m thinking of buying another car.” He listed off. Sophie’s eyes narrowed as she weighed her options.

 

“You’re not allergic to mushrooms,” She claimed.

 

“You’re right,” he was hoping to stump her with that one.

 

“You’ve had an appendage reattached?” Her eyes doubled in size, “and do you really need another car?”

 

“Cut off a lot of my pinky when I was doing construction here, thankfully Melissa was also around,” he began, “and cars are fun,” he quirked an eyebrow. Sophie shook her head at his explanation. “Your turn,” he prompted.

 

“I am an only child, I don’t drink coffee, my birthday is in May,” she listed off. She was confident she’d never mentioned when her birthday was before.

  
Derek studied her for a moment.

 

“You drink coffee,” he picked.

 

“Nope, wrong!” She smiled happily.

 

“You have a sibling?” He asked, surprised by the information.

 

“I have a half brother,” she began. “Didn’t know until I was older, but he’s fifteen now.” She explained. “When my Mom ran out on my Dad and I, guess somewhere down the line she had another kid. He messaged me on Facebook one day and we actually met up. Turns out she didn’t run very far, only forty-five minutes or so away from Miami. She didn’t stick around for him, either, ended up overdosing.”

 

Derek’s brow furrowed at the story. “I’m sorry you got dealt a bad card.” He offered.

 

“Everyone gets a few now and then,” she shrugged. “At this point, I don’t know what I would do with another parent in my life, it’s always been Daddy and I.” Derek cleared his throat, ready for his turn.

 

“I used to have a pet goldfish named Mickey, I’m an only child, I prefer Nike over Adidas,” he listed.

 

“You have siblings,” she said quietly. “But they’re not here.”

 

“Two sisters, Laura and Cora,” He listed. “They died five years ago,” he added.

 

“Is it hard being here?” She asked, not knowing if she could stay in the house that her family died in.

 

“It was at first, for a year or so –” Derek cleared his throat, “but it looks very different than it did. The boys being here helps, too, it really changes the memories I have in this place. I loved growing up here and I knew I wanted to raise my family here, too.”

 

“You like the small town feel?” She asked, surprised.

 

“I don’t mind it,” Derek shrugged. “I like that if I ever need help, I know someone at the police station, someone at the hospital, someone at the school,” he finished gingerly, meeting her gaze. “I guess that’s how I was raised and how I want my kids to be raised, too. Somewhere safe.”

 

“You’ve never wanted to live in the city? Get your egg rolls at three in the morning and head to a concert or game whenever you want?” She asked, detailing the life she always imagined for herself.

 

“The eggrolls are a stretch, but we’re only an hour from San Jose,” he explained. “I know my family and I are set financially for a long time, so I wouldn’t have to bat an eye if I really wanted to spend a weekend in New York or LA or… Miami.” He watched her flush at the mention of her hometown.

 

“Point taken,” Sophie shrugged. “Besides, Nike has always been better than Adidas.” She unfolded the leg under her, setting it on Derek’s lap. It took him less than a moment to start rubbing her foot gently. “When I was little, I wanted to be a racecar driver when I grew up,” she began, “my favorite food is gyros, I haven’t been on a date in over a year.” She listed off.

  
Derek weighed his choices, the childhood one was a wildcard, but he was going to shift his intent.

 

“You’ve been on a date in the last year,” he insisted. “Can’t tell me otherwise.”

 

“Depends on what you define as a date, Mr. Hale,” she said with a grin. “Has a guy picked me up at my house with flowers and taken me to dinner in the last year? Nope.” She shook her head.

 

“I guess I would define it similarly, then,” he ran a finger up the sole of her foot, making her squeal and retract her leg, but he caught it and stretched it out across his lap again. “So then is this the only physical contact from a guy you’ve had in the last year?” He asked.

 

“No,” she shook her head. Derek’s wolf growled in ugly jealousy. ­“You’ve carried me to and from the car a million times,” she teased.

 

“How about here?” He brushed his finger at the back of her knees. She shook her head, a downright lascivious look on her face. “Anyone touched you here?” He moved his hand further up her thigh. She shook her head again. He leaned forward, entering her personal space – and she allowed it. “How about here?” He gently swiped his thumb over her bottom lip. He could feel her little puff of breath against his digit. She shook her head again.

 

It would be too easy for Derek to kiss her – and he was going to take the opportunity. He barely had his lips on hers before the front door practically flew open.

 

“Derek! What the hell!” The Alpha practically flew off of Sophie.

 

“Stiles!” He shouted.

 

“I’ve been calling your phone non-stop for the past half an hour!” Stiles panted as if he just ran here. “There is an emergency at Scott’s, you need to go now!” He said, catching his breath.

 

“What kind of emergency?” Derek said, Sophie’s leg still draped over him.

 

“A new… _puppy_ emergency.” Stiles said, eyes darting to Sophie.

 

“Stiles,” Sophie laughed, “I think Scott can handle a puppy on his own.”

 

“I gotta go,” Derek said gruffly, sliding off the couch and jogging to the door, barely sticking his feet into his shoes.

 

“Derek? What the fuck?” Sophie asked, still poised gingerly on the couch. She could practically still feel Derek’s breath on hers.

 

“I’m sorry, I wish I could explain,” Derek said, clearly at odds with himself. “I have to go.” He gave her one last disappointed look before taking off. Sophie’s jaw dropped. He left her, high and dry, on the couch to go play with a puppy at Scott’s.

 

She had Lauren on the phone in less than a minute as she hobbled her way up the staircase. She threw what few things she had into her duffel and thirty minutes later, was maneuvering herself into her car. She didn’t care if it was dangerous, she was leaving that damn house.

 

[][][]

 

It was deep into the night when Derek appeared at Sophie’s doorway, ringing her doorbell like he was testing the battery. Sophie groggily lifted her head from her pillow. It felt so good to be home and in her own bed again. She didn’t care if it took her half an hour to get around the house and do things for herself – she was happy to be home.

 

“Sophie!” She heard his voice call. She pulled herself out of bed and wandered over to her bedroom window that faced her front lawn. He, too, was looking for her and she reluctantly opened her window.

 

“It’s almost two in the morning, Derek! I have school tomorrow!” She called angrily.

 

“Sophie, I’m sorry! I had to go!” He looked more angry than sad. “It was an emergency,” she’d admit, he looked a little worse for wear. “Please, let’s talk about this!”

 

“I’m not going to yell about this from my window at two in the morning, Derek! God, be an adult!” She all but hissed. He left her to play with a puppy, she didn’t care if she was being a bitch.

 

“Please, I can explain!” He replied, looking pathetic as ever. His eyes looked even more beautiful when he begged.

 

“Good night, Derek!” She called before closing her window. She never felt so stupid and embarrassed in her life.

 

The next morning, she was awake and ready to go an hour earlier than usual. She didn’t know how long it would take her to get ready on her own, but she did better than expected. Even with the change in her routine, she was surprised to see the blue Jeep roll into her driveway.

 

“Stiles, what are you doing here?” She asked as she welcomed him into the house. “You hungry?” She had just finished assembling some peanut butter toast for herself.

 

“I’m here to bring you to school,” Stiles said, swiping a piece of toast, “and to explain about last night.”

 

“Stiles, you’re my friend and I don’t want you stuck in this situation,” she insisted. “If Derek wants to come talk to me at a normal time of day, then he can come by.” She added, “but that’s not your job.” Stiles looked up at her guiltily, knowing she was right, but still feeling bad. The situation last night was out of his control and Derek’s.

  
“Can I just say, it really was an emergency and he feels really bad?” Stiles said, mouth sticky from peanut butter.

 

“You’re a good friend, Stiles.” She smiled, giving his shoulder a squeeze.

 

Stiles walked with Sophie into her classroom, helping her out with some of her materials and did the same as he picked her up from class later that day. She was glad to have such a good friend in him. She’d have to give Melissa a call.

 

Sophie didn’t hear from Derek over the next four days, she figured he was giving her some space, which she did appreciate. Her doctor said she could start putting just the faintest amount of pressure on her left foot and she felt like she had just won the lottery – progress!

 

The next day, she was putting her big tote into the Touareg after school when she heard her name being called.

 

“Soph! Happy Friday!” Isaac said excitedly, crossing the parking lot.

 

“Hey Isaac!” She smiled as he gave her a tight hug. “Who’s your friend?” She asked.

 

“This is Liam, he’s going to be staying with Derek and I from now on,” Isaac offered. Sophie knew it was in everyone’s best interest to not ask any questions at the moment.

 

“Hi Liam, it’s nice to meet you!” She smiled warmly.

  
“Hi,” he said quietly. It was obvious he was much younger than Isaac and she wondered exactly how old he was.

 

“We were hoping you’d be able to drop us off at Derek’s?” Isaac asked with big eyes. “Stiles left early from school and we didn’t bring bikes.” He shrugged. Sophie gave a little half-smile.

 

“Of course, hop in,” She motioned to her little SUV. “Liam, what grade are you in?” She asked as everyone buckled their seatbelts.

  
“Eighth,” Liam replied in a near whisper. He was a cute kid, but painfully shy.

 

“Eighth grade is the best,” she smiled at him in her rearview mirror. Isaac did all of the talking on the way to the big house and she appreciated his ability to distract her. She still felt a flush of embarrassment when she thought back to having Derek hovering over her one moment and out the door the next. Was he even really interested in her? Was she interested in him?

 

When she pulled into Derek’s long driveway, she felt the flush again, watching as Derek worked in the front yard, shirtless and sweaty. He perked up at the sight of her red car and shed his gloves, dropping them on the lawn as he approached the car.

 

“Soph,” he greeted gently.

 

“Derek,” she replied.

 

“How was school, Liam?” Derek asked.

 

“It was good,” he replied, again, quietly, as he grabbed up his backpack. Isaac was terrible at pretending he wasn’t eavesdropping while walking away from the car. Derek took a step closer to the driver’s side window.

 

“Can I come by tonight?” He asked carefully, “I’d really like a chance to explain myself.” Had she not met Liam, she would maybe have changed her mind.

 

“Sure.”

 

[][][]

 

She’d be the last to admit that she put a little more effort into her appearance after eating her dinner alone, fluffing her curled hair, touching up her lipstick, seeing what her butt looked like in those shorts. She took her time answering her door upon hearing the bell ring.

 

“Sophie,” Derek smiled softly, holding a bouquet of daisies.

 

“You didn’t need to bring these, Derek,” she insisted, but accepted them nonetheless. “Do you want something to drink?” She asked, walking gingerly into the kitchen and reaching for a vase. Derek closed the door behind him, checking outside once more before he did.

 

“Better not,” he couldn’t remember the last time he was this nervous.

 

“Take a seat,” she said, filling the vase up with water. A few moments later, she was sitting on the loveseat opposite the chair he was seated in.

 

“Before I start, I just need to ask you to let me talk this through and try not to interrupt,” He wiped his palms on his jeans. Sophie gave him a weird look but nodded nonetheless. Now she was intrigued.

 

“The other night when you were over and we were… together,” he began. “Stiles came to get me because Liam needed our help.” He began.

 

 _You could have said that!_ Sophie wanted to interject, but she held her tongue.

 

“Liam has been struggling a lot with a secret and that night, he finally told his parents,” Derek elaborated “and they tried to hurt him.” He finished. Sophie blanched, her throat going dry. “Scott and Stiles… found out and tried to help him as best they could, but they needed me. In the altercation, both of his parents died.” He added.

 

“Oh my God,” Sophie couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

 

“His Dad killed his Mom and then was killed trying to hurt Liam,” Derek explained.

Sophie’s heart was in her stomach.

 

“Liam is…. Like me,” Derek began again. That’s where Sophie got confused. “He’s like me and Scott, Isaac and Jackson.”

 

“Derek, I’m lost.” Sophie began.

 

“My family was killed for what they were, Sophie.” Derek said, standing up. “The house fire was an attack, not an accident.” She squished herself a little further into the couch cushions. He began to peel his shirt over his head before reaching for his belt buckle.

 

“Uh, I don’t know – I mean, you don’t have to take your clothes off.” Her eyes nearly popped out of her skull as he began to lower his briefs. She put her own hand up to cover his nudity. This was so bizarre. She squeezed her eyes shut as he walked closer to her. There was an indistinct noise that sounded like shuffling and someone brushing their hair before she opened her eyes again.

  
She slapped her hand over her own mouth as she screamed.

 

In her family room stood a wolf the size of her first car. She grabbed a pillow, clutching it to her chest as if _that_ was going to help her. It was enormous, covered in pitch-black fur and paws as big as her dinner plates. The moment she got her breathing under control, it took a step closer and she thought she’d lose consciousness.

 

Derek thought her heart was going to fail it was beating so fast. He let out a soft whimper.

 

“Is – is, is that really you?” She asked, barely whispering. The wolf gave a quick nod, leaning forward and resting it’s head on her lap.

 

It was then that she passed out.

 

 _At least she didn’t run screaming out of the house_. Derek thought to himself. He changed back, slipping on some of his clothes and carrying her upstairs to her bed. He’d see what happened in the morning.

 

Eight hours later, Sophie woke up feeling groggy and a little confused as to why she’d go to bed in full clothing and makeup.  


It wasn’t until she saw Derek sleeping on her couch in his boxer briefs that she remembered the night before.

  
“Oh my God,” she gasped, instantly waking his big frame on her small sofa. “Oh my God, you… a wolf!” She clasped onto the kitchen counter. “Am I still asleep?” She asked, grabbing a handful of her arm and squeezing.

 

“Just, calm down,” Derek said, holding his hands up in front of him. “I would never hurt you, Sophie.”

 

“Liam’s parent are dead!” She gasped.

 

“Liam’s Dad went after him with a chainsaw,” Derek spoke evenly and quietly as he carefully approached her. “I don’t want you to hurt yourself, you don’t have your crutches. Will you please sit down?” He asked, ushering to one of her two little barstools at her kitchen counter. She obliged, taking a seat as she eyed him from across the island. “If you never want to see me again, I understand,” he began, ignoring the painful wailing in his chest. “But please, the boys care about you so much.” He added, “please let them down gently. I’m begging you not to tell anyone, but I didn’t want to lie you anymore.” He explained himself. She needed a moment to herself.

 

“How long have you… been able to do the… wolf thing?” She asked.

 

“My whole life,” Derek replied, keeping the distance between them. “I was born this way, so was Liam.” He added. “The others were… turned.”

 

“Turned?” She flushed white.

 

“Scott was turned by my uncle Peter, Isaac and Jackson were both turned by me.” He said calmly.

 

“They asked to be?” She prodded, to which Derek nodded.

 

“They did, it wasn’t a request that was taken lightly.” She was silent for a beat.

 

“How often do you – do that? Turn into the…” She asked.

 

“Not often, few times a month,” he shrugged. “There’s not as much need as there used to be, Beacon Hills is a much safer place. Now we just do it every once and a while because it feels good.”

 

“Can you do it again?” She asked. He felt himself relaxing, at least she hadn’t pulled a knife on him yet.

 

He stood back from the counter, turning his back and pulling his briefs down. He could feel her eyes on him and contained his own smirk.

 

 _God, he has a nice ass._ She thought to herself.

 

Derek changed quickly, shaking his head once he was back in his fur suit, turning to face the woman he wanted to trust him. Sophie stood carefully from her chair, keeping one hand on the kitchen counter to act as a crutch.

 

His wolf form was so large, they were nearly face-to-face in her family room.

 

“C-can I?” She asked, raising her free hand to him slowly. The wolf nodded and it was just like petting a dog as she slid her hand into it’s fur, hands cupping his ear gently. “You’re so soft,” she commented quietly. She jumped just a bit as his mouth opened, tongue lolling out in what she assumed had to be his attempt at a smile.

 

She was a bit more confident in her movement, petting him gently. “You’re so… pretty.” She said for lack of a better word. She squeaked as Derek tilted his head to the side, brushing his nose to her arm. “Cold,” she gasped as he moved again, shifting his weight to sit down just like you’d see a dog do. “You’re just… a big puppy,” she surmised.

 

A flash of moment later and Derek was standing naked in her family room once again.

 

“Oh God,” she immediately covered her eyes again. “A little warning is appreciated.”

 

“That wasn’t terrible, right?” He asked, picking his briefs up off of the floor and sliding them on.

 

“It was not what I expected,” she exhaled again. Now she was just thinking about Derek naked again and it was not the time for that.

 

He approached her, standing close enough to see himself in the reflection of her eyes.

 

“I’m not going to tell anyone if that’s what you’re worried about,” she said, bracing herself on the counter behind her. “I don’t want anything to happen to the boys,” she thought of poor Isaac and even worse, poor Liam.

 

“Just the boys?” Derek asked.

 

“Just the boys,” she replied, hiding a smile.

 

“They really miss having you at the house,” he said.

 

“Just the boys?” She asked.

  
“No,” he replied, giving her half a moment to decide what she wanted before she finally leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.

 

 _I am a crazy person_ , she thought to herself. _This is what crazy people do._

“I miss having you around, too,” He mumbled against her lips, kissing her fervently. His hand slid around her side to her back, holding her gently as his other cupped her jaw. “Up,” he instructed, giving her warning as he lifted her to sit on the counter top. She eagerly parted her knees, letting him stand between them as she tilted her mouth over his, hands roaming his back. God she loved his back.

 

 _Being crazy is fun._ She thought to herself. He was as good a kisser as she dreamed. Derek moaned as she let her hands wander his back, grabbing onto him eagerly.

 

“Take me upstairs,” she panted into his mouth, “I want to see what my lipstick looks like on your happy trail.” She gently bit his earlobe. Derek’s knees nearly buckled, but he was given instructions. He dutifully scooped her up, both hands planted happily on her ass as he made his way through her house and up the stairs. Setting her down on the mattress, he was careful of her cast as he kneeled on either side of her.

  
“Can I?” He asked, giving the hem of her shirt an experimental tug. She sat up, peeling it of herself before throwing it to the ground somewhere. He gave her a little shove back down to her mattress, sealing his lips over hers again. She looped her good leg around his waist, letting him feel as she brushed her fingertips down his side before curling around his hip and dipping into his briefs. Circling her hand around his cock, he let out an intelligent “ _guh_.”

 

He kissed down her jaw, stopping at her neck and sucking there while he palmed her breast through her lace bra. He rubbed his thumb over her nipple slowly before traveling down her stomach to the waistband of her cotton shorts. He jerked softly when she ran her thumb over the head of his cock.

 

“I don’t care what, but I need some part of you inside of me,” she whimpered as he sucked on her pulse.

 

“Anything you want,” he replied, sitting up and using both hands to hook her shorts and panties and pull them down in one fell swoop – tossing them to floor along with her shirt.

 

She watched her own private show as he hooked his thumbs in his briefs, pulling them down and watching his gorgeous cock spring free.

 

“Fuck,” she said happily, eyeing it like it was a treat just for her. He kneeled at the end of the mattress, hooking his hands around her thighs and making her scream as he pulled her down to him. He placed teasing kisses in the innermost part of her thighs before putting her out of her misery. “Fuck, Derek,” he loved the sound of his name coming out of her mouth. He lined her opening with his tongue, moaning as he went along. He nearly growled as she implanted her hands into his hair and responded by licking his way to her clit. Another breathy whimper tumbled out of her lips.

  
Removing a hand from her thighs, he suckled her clit gently as he slid a finger in, making her jerk underneath him. Flicking his tongue along, she chanted his name as a second finger came into play. He moaned again, loving the feeling of her hands pulling at his hair. He began to grind his cock into the mattress below.

 

“Derek, don’t stop,” she begged, his free hand snaking up her body and rolling her nipple between his fingers. He pulled his mouth away from her clit with a cry from her, blowing on it gently as his two fingers curled against the spongy spot inside of her, her hips skyrocketing off of the bed.

 

“You wanna cum?” He asked, a glint in his eye as she looked down at him.

  
“Yeah,” she panted, sticking a hand back into his hair and pushing his face down. He happily locked his lips around her clit again, his fingers massaging and sucking gently until she all but screamed, back arching as she found her release. His tongue returned to her opening, licking up every last remnant of her orgasm until she was twitching softly beneath him. She was exhausted from one of the most intense orgasms she could ever remember having.

 

“You need to get some sleep,” he commented, joining her at the top of the bed and kissing her lips gingerly. “You didn’t sleep well last night.”

 

“You’re hard,” she commented, her eyelids feeling like wet cement.

 

“I’m going to be hard when you wake up, too,” he grinned, kissing her soundly. ”Don’t argue with me.”

  
“Bossy,” she mumbled, turning into him, hooking her thigh over his and nuzzling up under his chin. He slid his hand down her back, gripping her ass softly as the lace of her bra teased his chest.

 

And he was right, he was in fact hard when she woke up.


	9. Bad Puppy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> see that tag up there? "overuse of the word puppy"? it starts now.
> 
> also, don't worry, there's a much larger freak-out coming from Sophie. give it time.
> 
> updating today due to a sweet, sweet comment i got on the chapter yesterday! have a good week, ya'll!

Sophie stood in the shower, ankle wrapped in cellophane as she stepped under the water, letting it run down her face. She couldn’t remember the last time a shower felt so damn good.

 

Jumping only a little as she felt two arms wrap around her, she leaned back into the touch.

 

“Good morning,” Derek breathed into her ear before placing a kiss on her neck.

 

“It is,” she smiled as he reached past her body, grabbing her shampoo before squeezing a dollop into his hand. She groaned as he worked it into her hair, gently rubbing at her scalp. When he was satisfied with his work, he slowly turned her to face him and stepped her back into the water. She tilted her head, letting the water push the suds down her locks into the drain.

 

“You should have more hair,” she ran her hands along his chest. “How does a wolfman have a perfectly smooth chest?” She teased.

 

“Is that a complaint I hear?” He asked, running his hands down her back to her hips.

 

“An observation,” she winked. “No complaints here.” She returned, the favor, squirting a little dime of shampoo into her palms, working it to a lather and running her hands through Derek’s scalp, grinning at the loud groan he let out as his chin dropped down to his collarbone. “If I do this long enough, will your leg start to kick?” She asked, screaming as he nipped her side with his fingers.

 

Derek carried her from the shower when they finished, having laid out a towel on her bed and placing her on top of it. He took another and slowly took his time drying her off.

 

“Do you just shake off to dry?” She asked with a little snark as he raided her drawers, tossing a pair of denim shorts, a sorority tee and a pair of little white panties at her.

 

“You make any more dog jokes and my feelings are going to get hurt,” he said, walking over to the bed confidently, his towel still tied around his hips. He stepped her feet into the panties, pulling them up her legs until they properly sat on her hips.

 

“No bra?” She quirked an eyebrow at him as he pulled the t-shirt down over her head.

 

“You think I haven’t noticed that you only wear one on occasion?” He returned the look. “Because trust me, I’ve noticed.”

 

“I wear a bra about as often as you wear a shirt,” she countered, making him laugh as he helped her off the bed. “I want to be out of this stupid cast,” she pouted. He seized the opportunity to kiss her full lips with a short, sweet peck.

 

“It’ll come off before you know it,” he replied. “Can I buy you some lunch?” He asked, swaying her side to side as one of his hands slid to the small of her back, the other intertwining with her free hand.

 

“It’s three o’clock,” she pointed out.

 

“Some early dinner?” He corrected.

 

“You need clothes, Derek.” She giggled, “unless you plan to run around Beacon Hills in a towel?”

 

“So a stop at my place, then maybe pick something up from Chianti?” He suggested one of the nicer restaurants in town.

 

“Sounds like you’re asking me on a date,” she said, running a hand through her hair, preparing to French braid it down her shoulder. “I mean you did bring me flowers,” she shrugged innocently.

 

“Then I suppose I am,” he countered, maintaining eye contact as he dropped his towel, stepping into his own pants sans briefs.

 

“Good to know,” she said airily. “Let’s go get you some pants or that’s going to start chafing.”

 

The ride back to the big house was fast, with both Stiles’ blue Jeep parked out front as well as Jackson’s Porsche when they arrived.

 

“Want to come in? Or do you want me to change quick and come out?” Derek asked, knowing the boys would likely be a little overwhelming, not to mention the information Sophie now knew about them.

 

“I’ll come in,” she shrugged, “would be nice to see them.”

 

Derek would never hear the end of it, he was sure. The amount of knowing smiles sent his way the moment they walked into the house was ridiculous.

 

“Sophie!” Stiles grinned, “we missed you.” He dodged over to the brunette with a big hug. It took moments before Scott joined as well.

 

“Where’s Liam and Isaac?” She asked, giving Scott’s hair a little tug.

 

“Isaac is napping in his room and Liam is unpacking more of his stuff, we got the last of it from his old place,” Stiles explained.

 

“Keep a good eye on him, huh?” She asked, “he’s probably terrified out of his mind.”

 

“He’s a good kid, Jackson’s taken a real shining to him,” Stiles agreed. “We’ve never had someone so… young – younger than us, I guess.”

 

“Missed you guys,” she squeezed them even tighter.

 

“I can’t believe you banged Derek,” Jackson said, entering the family room.

  
“Jackson!” She scolded “not that it’s _any_ of your business, but that did not happen.” She bent the truth just a little bit. Sure, he rocked her world, but they didn’t _bang._

“It sure smells like you banged,” Scott said.

 

“Can you smell that?” She asked, reeling. “Part of your puppy powers?” She asked. Scott, Stiles and Jackson exchanged looks. “You’re my boys, nothing’s going to change that.” She reassured. “Just give me some warning before you do your _abracadabra_ bit.” It was then that _they_ squeezed _her_ tighter.

 

“Sophie!” Isaac rushed down the stairs, happy to join the group hug without question.

 

“She knows, Ize,” Scott said as the junior wriggled his way into the group. He froze slightly, looking down at Sophie.

 

“Don’t worry, babe.” She smiled softly, running a hand through his hair. “I’m not going anywhere.” She insisted giving the back of his neck a little squeeze. “What does everyone want from Chianti? Dinner’s on Derek.” She added, making Isaac’s dimples pop.

 

A few minutes later, after hobbling up to the second floor, she paused in Derek’s doorway. He was still in his briefs as he scrolled through is phone. She passed him on the way to his dresser, getting herself of a squeeze of his ass in her hand, making him jump.

 

“Hey,” he scowled, watching as she slid his drawer open.

  
“Wasn’t me,” she shrugged. She pulled out an incredibly soft grey tee, a pair of black Calvin Klein boxer briefs and a dark wash pair of jeans. “Here you go, I’m going to go check on Liam,” she said, raising up on the tiptoes of her good foot and pressing a kiss to the underside of his jaw. “The boys are going to text you their order from Chianti.” Derek smiled, a warm, pleased grumble reverberating throughout him as she mentioned feeding the boys.

 

Sophie carefully approached the door at the end of the hallway, knocking lightly.

  
“Liam?” She called, ears straining to see if she heard anything.

 

“Come in,” she heard a voice reply quietly. She slowly pushed the door open to see a room that somehow was already terribly messy with a young boy sitting on the little sofa in the corner, tucked behind an open laptop.

 

“Hey Liam, we’re going to pick up some Italian for dinner, does that sound good?” She asked, feeling very much like she was back in high school babysitting the neighbor boy across the street. “You hungry?”

 

Liam eyed the woman carefully, wondering what she thought of him.

 

“Want me to pick you up some spaghetti and meatballs?” She asked, to which he nodded. “Happy to,” she smiled, “give Derek a call if you think of anything else you want, okay?” He nodded again. She closed the door gently behind her, moving back toward the stairs where Derek was waiting patiently.

 

“How’s he?” Derek asked, sliding a hand down into the back pocket of her jean shorts.

 

“Quiet,” she replied, “my heart hurts for him.” She sighed, pouting softly. Derek leaned down, kissing her soundly.

  
“He’s going to be okay,” He said, giving her a squeeze. “He’ll need some time, though. Come on, let’s go.” He ushered her downstairs.

 

It was hard not to feel like a mother hen as she stood around the kitchen counter an hour later, serving out everyone’s dinner.

 

“Scotty, you got the baked ziti and chicken, Stiles got the alfredo with chicken and broccoli, Jackson had the eggplant,” she passed them out as she pulled more boxes from the plastic bags. “Spaghetti and meatballs for Isaac, spaghetti and meatballs for Liam,” she smiled tenderly at the boy who wandered down from his bedroom, not quite hiding behind Isaac’s shoulder.

 

“Lasagna for Derek, veggie lasagna for me,” she said finally, “I’m going to leave all the breadsticks up on the counter, so just grab the ones you want.” She added, watching the flurry of hands reaching for them at once. “Share!” She laughed.

 

“Thanks, Dad!” Isaac called – what Sophie assumed to be jokingly – at Derek, sparking a round of appreciation from the boys who flopped all over the family room couches. Liam squeezed himself into the armchair on the far side of the room, tucking under a soft blanket.

 

Derek locked eyes with Sophie, nodding his head back over his shoulder toward the staircase.

 

Sophie picked up her box, snagged the bottle of red wine they picked up and followed him toward the stairs.

 

“Where are you guys going?” Stiles frowned, catching everyone’s attention.

  
“Private time,” Derek called back.

  
She tried to laugh as the family room erupted into a chorus of _oooh!_

“That’s what happens when you live with a group of teenage boys,” Derek sighed. She followed him past his bedroom and down the hall to the second staircase to the third floor.  


“This is new,” she commented, not hitting this floor on Isaac’s tour.

 

“I’m moving up here to give the kids a little more privacy on the second floor,” Derek commented, “I think Scott and Stiles are going to move into their own rooms - and I guess a little more privacy for myself.”

 

“This is beautiful,” she commented, stepping into the hall that was lined with skylights. He opened the door to a large bedroom decorated in dark furniture. She gasped as she sat down on the bed, her ankle tweaking in a way that sent shooting pain up her leg.

 

“You okay?” He asked worriedly, looking back at her.

 

“I think I’ve just been on my foot too much today,” she frowned, wishing she could be out of the cast already, but knowing she’d have another two weeks in it.

 

“’Mere,” he motioned, setting her box down and sweeping her up into the center of the bed, propping her foot up on a pile of pillows. She patted the space next to her.

 

Derek settled into the mattress, pulling her good leg into his lap as they each dug into their meals.

 

“Tell me two truths and a lie,” she said a few minutes later, grinning as she took a bite of her breadstick.

 

“Back to this?” Derek asked with a laugh.

  
“I like it,” she defended, “and I get to know more about you.” Derek thought of his best options.

 

“I sometimes turn into a wolf, I don’t have a Netflix account, I once proposed to a girl when I was fourteen,” he listed off.

 

“You proposed to a girl when you were fourteen?” She asked more than stated, faux scandal on her face.

 

“I did, Paige Marseniak,” Derek all but blushed. “She gave me my first blowjob and I got down on one knee the next day,” he explained, ducking his head further as Sophie cracked into laughter.

 

“Oh my God, that’s so cute,” She giggled, covering her mouth. “Do you have pictures of high school Derek?” She asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

“Not many, but I’m sure I can find some,” he explained. “Your turn.”

 

“I’m going to adopt a kitten from the shelter next week, I have a third nipple,” she paused as he snorted. “My favorite movie is The Wizard of Oz,” she finished.

 

“I’d notice if you had a third nipple,” he raised a brow, watching as she took another bite of her dinner, “that’s the lie. Which means you’re going to get a kitten?” He asked, “why?”

 

“Because I want a pet and a kitten would be cute,” she shrugged. “I had a cat growing up that I absolutely loved.”

 

“Why not a dog?” He asked, “everyone likes dogs.”

 

“I already have a puppy,” she winked, watching as the corner of his mouth curled upward.

 

“Is that what you think?” Derek asked.

 

“What, you think otherwise?” She asked, setting her half-eaten box of lasagna on the side table next to her. “You don’t want to be my puppy?” She asked, getting up on her knees and looming over him, slowly closing his own takeout box and setting it aside as well. “I happen to think you’d make a very good one,” she said, running her hands through his hair, giving it a little tug to have his head drop back.

 

“What makes you say that?” He asked, a cocky grin on his face.

 

Sophie swung her leg over his lap, sitting back on his thighs.

 

“Well, you’re pretty cute,” she began, cupping his jaw in her hand. “I know you’re energetic,” she added, making his grin spread across his face. “Affectionate…” she trailed off. “Of course, if you think you can’t be those things, then maybe I should get a new little puppy,” she shrugged, flicking her finger out form under his chin.

 

She screamed as he flipped her on her back in one motion, hovering over her before pressing his face into her neck.

 

“You’re such a flirt,” he said, scraping his teeth against her neck.

 

“No marks,” she warned, “I happen to be a teacher, Mr. Hale.” She reminded him. “How would I explain that to my students?”

 

“Derek!” The man in question groaned as Scott’s voice cut through the quiet of the bedroom.

 

“What!” He called, back, ripping himself away from Sophie, making her giggle.

 

“Can we get dessert?” Scott called back, “we want ice cream!” Sophie laughed, winding her hands up his shirt and rubbing his sides.

 

“Yes! There’s money in my wallet on the counter, just go!” He yelled back, frustrated.

 

“You guys want anything?” Scott shouted.

 

“No!” Derek practically growled.

 

“Nice puppy,” she praised, running her hands around his back and again, finding purchase on his ass.  


“M’not a puppy,” he mumbled, sliding his hands up her stomach, making her scream with laughter as he peeled her shirt over her head. He kissed his way down her collarbone into the valley of her chest.

  
“Derek!” She gasped as he bit softly into the roundness of her breast. He suckled the bit of skin there, biting it gently until he was pleased with his handiwork. He greedily palmed her breasts, her nipples pebbling at all the attention.

 

“I wanna do something,” she said, giving enough of a push to hint that she wanted him on his back. He complied pretty easily, tucking his hands behind his head as he watched her hover over him, unzipping his jeans and tugging them down to his thighs. “Had a dream about doing this once,” she said as she wiggled out of her own shorts, leaving on those little white cotton panties he chose. They both sighed as she pressed her sex down into his hard cock, trapping it between her body and his lower stomach. Her mouth practically watered at the sight of his pink tip sticking out of the top of his briefs.

 

“A dream?” He asked, groaning as she pulled the band of his briefs down to his thighs.

 

“Just like this,” she whimpered, grinding up and down his length with careful strokes of her hips.

 

“Then what happened?” He asked, grunting as his vision went white for a second.

 

“You…” she paused to sigh, jerking softly as the rim of his head caught on her clit, “you pushed my panties to the side,” she explained. Derek reached down with both hands, tearing them nearly in half – it would have to do – and he was rewarded with the feeling of her hot, wet center on his cock.

 

“Goddamn,” he placed his hands back on her hips, happy to be along for the ride. “Then what?” He asked again.

 

“I remember thinking you had the biggest cock I had ever seen,” she reached around behind her, “and I was right.” She smiled like the cat that got the canary as she squeezed his balls gently. Derek jerked harshly under her. “But I woke up that morning, horny as fuck, and I remember wishing I did something different.” She panted out.

 

“What’s that?” He asked, one his knees bending up behind her, eyes fluttering behind his lids.

 

Sophie leaned down over his body, kissing his jaw softly while one his hands slid up her side and down her body, gripping her ass in his hand.

 

“I really, really wish I would have felt you inside of me,” she breathed into his ear. Derek groaned loudly, one of her hands still rolling his balls gently in her palm.

  
“You want me inside?” He asked, giving her ass a harsh squeeze, maybe hard enough to leave a mark.

 

“Please,” she whimpered, “I do.” She released his balls, circling her hand around his cock as he teased it against her entrance. Derek had length and girth, something she had yet to find before and it was apparent as his thick head pressed bluntly to her opening. She had never felt so greedy in her life. “You’re so big,” she moaned as his head finally breached inside of her, a satisfying sound coming from each of them.

 

“How about this?” Derek asked teasingly, “what if I fucked you with just the tip? Is that enough for you?”

 

“No,” she gasped, hips wiggling above him as she pressed for more. He watched as her eyes rolled back. His ego was getting an incredible stroke that evening as she sank down on top of him, moaning the whole way. When she was fully seated on him, they both took a moment to catch their breath. “Fuck, I’m so full,” her eyes fluttered shut as her hands rest on his abdomen. “Shit!” She breathed, pushing up as she began to ride him slowly. Derek brought a hand up to his mouth, wetting two of his fingers before pressing them down against her clit, teasing her with each down swing. “D-Der, my ankle.” She whined softly.

 

It took him a split second to reverse their roles, her tucked underneath him as he braced his elbows on either side of her head. She could only imagine what he looked like as he rolled his hips into hers.

 

“Don’t stop,” she gasped, nails digging into his back. He growled loudly, kissing her neck as he began to pound vigorously into her, the sound of skin slapping growing louder and louder.

 

“Jesus, Sophie,” he groaned, his fingers rubbing at her clit again and the sensation of her squeezing around him almost too much to bear.

 

“Derek, I’m going to cum,” she nearly cried, not wanting the experience to end.

 

“Do I need to pull out?” He panted, hating the words as they came out of his mouth.

 

“I’m on the pill,” she shook her head. Derek groaned in satisfaction, his thrusts getting erratic and jerky as he sunk deeply into her. Between his fingers on her clit and the warmth of his cum inside of her, she came, nearly biting her lip off as she tried to keep her limbs from shaking.

 

“Soph,” Derek murmured as he rode out the last of his orgasm with torturously slow, deep tilts of his hips. She watched as he sat back on his knees, carefully pulling out. Taking his cock in hand, he teased her engorged clit with the head, tapping it gently.

 

“Derek!” She squealed, turning on her side and squeezing her legs together, making him laugh. “Bad puppy,” she scolded, chest still heaving.

 

“Get over here,” he manhandled her with a roll of his eyes until she was laid up against his chest, his head tucked into a set of plush pillows. “Better than you dreamed?” He asked, running a hand through her hair gently, watching as her long eyelashes fluttered softly against the top of her cheekbones.

 

“So much better,” she sighed happily. “Good puppy.”


	10. Sharks Circling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> decided to update today after all - thank you again to the lovely readers who comment - you always bring a smile to my face! :)

Sophie was over the moon happy as the doctor downgraded her from her plaster cast to a walking boot. She’d have two weeks in the boot and then be home free. Now, she could finally shave her leg. She was allowed to walk normally as long as she didn’t overexert herself and sleep without the boot on.

 

It felt like she had been give a get-out-of-jail-free card.

 

Driving home, she did her best imitation of a run into the house and up the stairs, stripping along the way as she hopped into the shower.

 

Her ankle still looked fairly gnarly, but she wouldn’t complain. After thoroughly cleaning herself and dousing herself in lotion, she dressed for the rest of the afternoon. Having a substitute come in that afternoon so she could go to the doctor’s, she now had a little more time off than usual.

 

She grabbed her phone and headed back downstairs to fix herself a snack to go with the celebratory glass of wine she had been planning since that morning. She looked over at the white iPhone as it buzzed with a new message.

 

**From: Derek  
** _Think I could keep the teacher out a little late on a school night?_

 

She grinned as she read it over again before replying.

 

**To: Derek  
** _Depends what you have in mind._

 

Not a few moments later, her doorbell rang and she opened it eagerly.

 

“Congrats on the boot,” Derek said, holding up an envelope.

 

“What’s this?” She asked, taking it and opening it carefully. Her eyes scanned the teal, black and orange papers carefully. “You got us Sharks tickets?” She asked, eyes lighting up excitedly. That alone was worth it for him.

 

“Puck drop is at seven.” He replied, “but I thought we could leave in an hour and catch something to eat out there?” He asked.

 

“Let me get changed!” She turned to run back to her room, pausing, then facing him again. He almost asked her something when she put her hands on either side of his face, kissing him soundly before heading up to her bedroom.

 

“I love this car,” Sophie sighed happily as the Camaro cruised down the westbound interstate. She changed into a white little sundress and jean jacket for the game. Not having any Sharks gear to wear, she went for comfort over function. She’d remedy that at the arena.

  
“It’s a good car,” agreed, eyeing up the hem of her skirt as it moved with the breeze that traveled through the little sportster.

 

“I mean, it’s not my _dream car_ , but I certainly enjoy being driven around in it.” She added, surfing for something to listen to on the radio.

 

“What’s your dream car?” Derek asked, lacing his fingers with hers as she gently tapped his hand on the center console.

 

“Depends on the situation,” she explained, crossing her legs, the hem slipping even higher. “Now? With just me? I’d love a little Mercedes two-seater, maybe a convertible - all black.”

 

“Good choice,” Derek nodded, “not American made, but it’ll do.”

 

“Sophie 10 years from now? With a few babies? A fully-loaded Range Rover, all the bells and whistles, total badass Mom car,” she laughed. “Never was the mini-van type.”

 

“Also a good choice,” Derek grinned. His pulse flashed warm under his shirt as he pictured her sitting in his passenger seat, a baby bump under her white dress.

 

The time it took to drive to San Jose passed quickly and soon they were parking just around the corner from the SAP Center. They circled a few blocks before finding a restaurant called the Hi-Life that was already teeming with Sharks fans, ready to watch their team take on the Chicago Blackhawks.

 

Famous for their steaks and ribs, Sophie knew Derek was a happy boy as the server set down an enormous ribeye in front of him.

 

“I can’t believe we’re here!” She said excitedly, taking a bite of her own sirloin as more and more Sharks fans filtered into the restaurant in their jerseys and hats. “Have I said thank you yet?” She asked, taking a drink of her water.

 

“Once or twice,” Derek teased, knowing it was more like fifty times.

 

After their early dinner, they took another short walk around San Jose before heading into the arena. The last thing Derek wanted to do was put too much stress on her ankle.

 

“I’m going to get something to wear,” she commented as he laced his fingers between hers once again. They wandered over to a merchandise stand with a reasonably short line.

 

She picked out a little teal baseball-style hat with the Sharks logo while Derek found a vintage style heathered grey tee with the Sharks’ alternate logo and San Jose Hockey Club printed across the chest.

 

“Go change into that,” She insisted, shuffling him towards the men room as she arranged her tousled waves under her new cap. Getting Derek to let her pay for it was a little ordeal, but she reminded him kindly that he drove, paid parking, dinner and tickets and if he was going to try and pay for her hat, he’d have to pry it from her cold dead hands.

 

Sophie sent a little snap of the arena to Lauren, telling her that Derek had surprised her with hockey tickets. They were overdue for a Skype date anyway.

 

As Derek emerged from the concourse bathroom, she felt her mouth go dry. The soft cotton of the t-shirt stretched over his broad shoulders perfectly and the cut of the sleeves accentuated the swell of his biceps.

 

“Hey good-lookin’,” she grinned predatorily. Derek smirked in return, noting how cute she was in her hat.

 

“Come on, I saw a sign for mini-donuts and I want to get some before we sit down.”

 

Derek couldn’t have been more impressed by Sophie’s commentary, the ticket price alone was worth her criticism and notes.

 

Sophie marveled at their seats, not quite center ice over the Sharks’ bench and twelve rows up, it was a nearly perfect view of the game.

 

“The Blackhawks were terrible for years – decades,” she explained, “but then, a few years back, they got Toews, Kane and then came Hossa and a bunch of awesome d-men and they’ve been this crazy dynasty.” Derek’s arm rest on the back of her seat, watching the game as it flew down on the ice front of him. He couldn’t get over how fast-paced it was. “The Sharks have always been good, but it’s a been a long time since they’ve won a Cup.”

 

“The Avalanche are your favorite team, right?” Derek asked, taking a drink of his $9 beer before setting it back down in the cupholder.

 

“Right,” Sophie nodded. “We didn’t go to too many NHL games growing up because the Panthers were so terrible and the Lightning were so far away, but I spent more on Avalanche and Pioneers tickets when I was at DU than I did on groceries. They’re my favorite teams, but I’ve always admired Jonathan Toews’ style of play. He’s very unselfish, calculated, team-centric.” She listed off, “and I used to have a huge crush on Patrick Kane.” She laughed, leaning into his side a little further.

 

Derek could tell Sophie knew the game quite well as she’d mumbled what each penalty was before they were announced and pointed out small mistakes players made.

 

When the Sharks scored the first goal of the game, she leapt out of her seat with the rest of the arena and cheered along to the fight song.

 

The Sharks won the game 4-3 and Derek held her hand in his as they walked back to the Camaro. It was just short of midnight when they arrived back in Sophie’s driveway.

 

“Come on,” she said quietly, giving his hand a tug as she got out of the Camaro. He followed her closely into the house, setting the alarm and locking the doors before following her upstairs.

 

He watched on as she took off her hat and jean jacket, hanging them on a chair near her closet before sliding the straps to her dress off of her shoulder and letting it fall to her feet. She wore a white lace bralette and matching panties underneath and unsnapped her bra before grabbing a t-shirt from her drawer.

 

“You gonna sleep in your jeans?” She asked, looking at him over her shoulder before she pulled her shirt on. Derek kicked off his shoes, stepping out of his jeans and shaking off his tee before tossing his phone on the nightstand, following her into the bed.

 

She snaked right up to his side, resting her head on his shoulder as they both sighed tiredly. It was a long drive back.

 

“Thank you,” she pressed a kiss to his skin. “I had so much fun,” she looked up at him, pressing another kiss to the underside of his jaw.

 

“Good, that was the idea,” Derek said, one of his hands hooking under her knee and drawing her closer to him. She pressed her hips into him softly, exhaling across his chest. “Are you wet?” He asked with a little smirk on his face, feeling her arousal on his thigh.

 

“Of course I am, have you seen yourself?” She asked, “I got to stare at you all night in your new shirt and watch a hockey game? I’m practically swimming.” The stroke to his ego did not go unnoticed.

 

“Want me to give you a hand?” _No pun intended_ , he thought. He slid his hand from her thigh to the flat of her stomach just below her belly button, dipping his fingers into her white panties and cupping her sex there. She sighed dreamily, pressing into his hand as his fingers circled her clit gently.

 

“Der,” she exhaled, “don’t tease me.” He rocked his hands up and down her folds, dipping into her entrance slowly before withdrawing and spreading her wetness. Obeying her request, he returned his attentions to her clit, circling it over and over. He hummed pleasantly as she bit into his shoulder, jerking softly as she came.

 

He smiled as her whole body went slack against him. Turning over lethargically on her small bed, she grabbed a pack of wipes out of her sidetable before tossing them at him. He peeled one from the package, bringing it down to wipe between her legs gently, grinning at her whine when he passed over her clit.

 

“Why are these in your nightstand?” He mused.

 

“Shh, go to sleep,” She mumbled, burrowing into him.

 

“Does it have to do with that vibrator in your top drawer?” He prodded.

 

“Sleep,” she brought a hand up to his mouth, tapping her fingers on his lips.

 

“Night, Soph.”

 

“Night, puppy.”

 

[][][]

 

**From: Derek  
** _What are you doing after school?_

Sophie glanced at her phone on her lunch break, eating her leftover pizza at her desk. It’s not that she didn’t like the teacher’s lounge or want to socialize, but she figured the more she got done during lunch, the less she’d have to do at home that evening.

 

**To: Derek  
** _Picking out my kitten at the shelter._

  
She grinned as she sent it off. She really wasn’t, but she liked to tease. She didn’t think the wolf side of her wolfman was too keen on her getting a kitten.

 

**From: Derek  
** _Lacrosse game? I’m trying to get Liam out of the house a little more._

 

**To: Derek  
** _Only if I can wear your letterman’s jacket._

After school, a black Camaro pulled up alongside her red Touareg.

 

“No kissing in the school parking lot,” she tisked as he slid a hand around her back. “Principal Dewberry would frown upon it.” Derek’s eyes narrowed. He’d wait till they were a single step out of the parking lot.

 

“As requested,” he pulled a maroon letterman’s jacket out of the Camaro.

 

“Oh my God,” she laughed, holding it up in her arms and inspecting the patches. “Basketball, baseball, academics. Brains and brawn, huh?”

 

“Thought we could pick up the kid and take him for something to eat then come back of the game,” Derek suggested. “I’m having the boys over for a bonfire after the game, too. Trying to get Liam a little more comfortable in his skin.” He added.

 

“You’re such a good guy, Derek, I hope you know that,” she leaned up to her tiptoes.

 

“No kissing in the parking lot, Ms. McLaren,” he mimicked.

 

[][][]

 

“How was school, Liam?” Sophie asked, settling into a booth next to Derek and across from his newest roommate.

 

“It was okay,” Liam shrugged. “Long.”

 

“I know how that goes,” she nodded. “By the end of the day, my students are itching to get out of class.” The server came by and Derek ordered a round of burgers and fries.

 

“Want to get a shake, Liam?” Sophie asked sweetly, “I’ll have strawberry,” she looked up at the server.

 

“Chocolate,” Liam said quietly.

 

“Liam is thinking of taking up baseball,” Derek said, putting his hand on Sophie’s thigh under the table.

 

“Do you like sports, Li?” Sophie asked brightly.

 

“Yeah, baseball and lacrosse,” he nodded, “I’m not very fast though.” He said, looking down at his hands and fiddling his thumbs.

 

“I bet you’re plenty fast,” Sophie encouraged. “I’m not fast, nor can I run. The last time I ran a mile, which was… three years ago, it took me twenty-two minutes.” She deadpanned. “I was huffin’ and puffin’ the whole way, they had the professor at the ready in case I dropped at the finish line.” Derek huffed out a laugh at her explanation, believing every moment of it. Liam smiled – a small smile – but a smile nonetheless. “Plus, you can put this one to work,” she slapped Derek’s stomach, “he played varsity baseball in high school.”

 

“You did?” Liam asked, intrigued.

  
“Five years of it,” Derek nodded, “started me on varsity when I was in eighth grade,” he explained.

 

“Wow, you must have been good,” Liam commented.

 

“I wasn’t to begin with, but I worked really hard at it,” Derek told a half-truth. He was always athletically inclined, but he did put a ton of work into training as well

 

“Mm, looks like dinner’s here!” Sophie interjected as their food arrived. Derek was relieved to watch Liam eat an entire meal, not something he always did at home. He also needed to talk to the other boys about making sure there was enough food for Liam. That, or he needed to start shopping more.

 

An hour later, they were back in Derek’s designated seats for the game, Sophie in-between her two dates for the evening. It had dropped down to 60 degrees that evening, which wasn’t cold by Denver’s standards, but colder than it had been in Beacon Hills since Sophie arrived.

 

“Are you cold?” Sophie asked Liam worriedly, knowing she had a blanket in her trunk. “Want me to make Derek run to the car for my blanket?” She offered, Derek’s jacket keeping her warm.

 

“No, I’m fine,” Liam shook his head.

 

“Harder for us to get cold, Soph,” Derek explained.

 

“Ugh, jealous,” she sighed, making Liam huff out a laugh.

 

“First time I’ve ever heard _that_ ,” he commented. Sophie ruffled his hair affectionately before the game began.

 

The boys weren’t nearly as loud and worked up following the game as they were at the last one she attended. The Cyclones lost their game that night 5-4 in overtime.

 

“Good game, guys,” Sophie said as they piled into her car she brought around so they could just leave after the game.

 

“We sucked,” Jackson commented.

 

“You didn’t suck,” Sophie rolled her eyes.

 

“We sucked,” Stiles confirmed.

 

“Yeah, you did suck,” Scott agreed. She heard the following tussle and rolled her eyes as she drove them back to the big house. She didn’t grow up with any siblings, but they certainly made her feel like she had a bunch of brothers.

 

“Mom, can we go through the drive-thru? We’re hungry,” Stiles whined.

 

“Fine, but someone text Liam and see if he wants anything,” she replied, turning off the street where she was following Derek and toward the golden arches.

 

Sixty-five dollars worth of burgers and fries later, they were pulling up to big house, something Sophie realized, she had been doing quite often lately.

 

“Der, your woman’s here!” Scott called as he ran into the house. Sophie was last in, carrying her own brown paper bag with some french fries.

 

“Hi,” she smiled, sipping on her Coke innocently. “Can I borrow some clothes?” She asked, motioning to her work outfit underneath his letterman’s jacket.

 

“Take whatever you want,” he said, his hands coming to rest on her hips. “Fire’s going in the backyard.” He leaned down, slanting his mouth over hers in a kiss that made her toes curl. “You’ll let me know if any part of tonight gets overwhelming, right?” He asked, still nervous about how she’d react to a yard full of wolves.

 

“I will,” she rocked onto her tiptoes to peck him quickly. “Be down in a bit, don’t eat my fries,” she slapped his ass as she passed him.

 

Rifling through his dresser, she stood stark naked, having folded her work clothes and set them on top of the armoire. She grinned seeing a selection of gray boxer briefs, pulling on a pair before snagging a set of black joggers she tied tightly around the waist and a black hoodie that smelled amazing. Pulling her hair up into a ponytail on top of her head, she also pulled on a pair of socks and grabbed the throw blanket off the end of his bed.

 

She joined the group who were all chowing down on their dinner in the backyard and she carefully settled herself right in Derek’s lap.

 

“This fine?” She asked with a grin, taking another sip of her Coke.

 

“So Soph, what did you think when you saw Derek’s fur suit?” Jackson asked.

 

“I fainted,” she replied honestly.

 

“But then later you were okay with it?” Isaac asked, trying not to sound to worried.

 

“He gave me a pretty good explanation – I mean, I definitely have more questions, but he was really patient with me,” she continued. “I certainly didn’t want anything happening to any of you.” She added, watching as Liam folded further into himself in his camp chair.

 

“Any questions we can answer?” Scott prodded.

 

Sophie let a few questions roll around in her mind.

 

“Best part of your puppy powers?” She asked.

  
“Puppy powers?” Stiles asked, unimpressed.

 

“I’ve tried to stop it,” Derek sighed.

 

“Being fast, not really getting sick,” Jackson listed off.

  
“No more asthma,” Scott added.

 

Sophie almost asked the opposite - what was the worst part? But caught herself, knowing how far south that could go.

Everyone went around, sharing stories from shifting and spending time in their wolf forms as the night grew darker and darker.

 

“Think we ought to take a run, boys?” Derek suggested, everyone being long finished with their food.

 

“Let’s do it, come on, Liam,” Jackson encouraged. Derek carefully lifted Sophie from his lap before standing up, draping the blanket she brought down over her head.

 

“Don’t look, we’re getting naked!” Jackson called. Sophie covered her eyes, even under the blanket.

 

“Okay, they’re decent,” Stiles approved a few moments later. Sophie removed the blanket over her head, a small gasp leaving her lips as she looked at the five wolves who were now milling about in the yard. “Can you tell who is who?” He asked, “I want to see if you can get them right,” he added, trying to placate her.

 

“I can try,” Sophie exhaled, eyes scanning the bunch. “Derek, obviously,” she said, nodding to the familiar wolf who seemed to be just a hair bigger than everyone else. “I bet that’s Jackson,” she pointed to a sandy white wolf whose tail wagged upon her identification. “That’s my boy, Isaac, that’s Scott and that’s got to be Liam.” She listed off.

 

“Good job,” Stiles agreed. Isaac wandered up to Sophie’s camp chair, setting his head in her lap and whining softly.

 

“What, are you not getting enough attention?” She asked, running her hands through his fur, scratching around his ears, “huh, Ize?” She asked.

  
A few moments later, Derek let out a howl that shook Sophie’s bones before sprinting off into the woods. Isaac pressed his cold nose into her arm before taking off, following his Alpha.

 

“I’m glad you’re cool with… us.” Stiles began, “I know it must be hard to believe for you, trust me, it was hard for me, too.” He added. “I know I’m lucky that the Sheriff and Melissa have been so accepting.”

 

“Was it hard for them at all?” Sophie asked.

 

“At first, but then they got used to it, too.” Stiles nodded.

 

“Do you ever feel left out? With all of them…” she jerked her head toward the woods.

 

“I did at first, but I don’t know if it’s something I could handle,” he began. “You have to be really strong to do what they do and deal with it,” he added. “Plus, I’m lucky my Dad reacted… the way he did.” He finished, knowing that Sophie was aware of what happened with Liam’s parents.

 

The two settled into a comfortable silence, occasionally interrupted by chitchat while the boys ran around. Not half an hour later, they were circling back toward the yard.

 

“Lucky you, you got a present,” Stiles laughed, seeing his alpha approach the fire, Scott and Isaac jumping around excitedly.

 

“A present?” She asked, turning around in her chair to see the looming figures approach. “Oh, God.” She mumbled. Derek got within ten feet of her camp chair before releasing his jaws and letting the body of the buck drop to the ground. “Derek, oh my God,” her eyes grew at the sight of the dead deer.

 

“Man, all I ever got was a rabbit,” Stiles remarked, equally disgusted and impressed.

 

“No, no, no!” Sophie said, getting up on her camp chair as Derek confidently strode toward her. “Don’t you dare come near me with that mouth!” She warned, grimacing as the black wolf licked it’s lips. “Don’t do it!” She said, voice getting higher with each step. “Derek!” She squealed as he stretched his neck out to touch her. She jumped off of the chair over the armrest, taking off across the open field as best she could with her boot on.

 

She heard another loud howl behind her as she heard the heavy footfalls hitting the grass.

 

“Derek!” She screamed, laughing as she could hear the canter of his paws. She circled the yard, running back toward the fire and lapping the fire pit again. She could hear Stiles’ loud laughter as he sat at the bonfire. She let him chase her around the circle once more before flopping on the ground. “Okay, okay, okay you got me!” She surrendered as Derek loomed over her, his giant paws by her shoulders. “I swear to God, if you touch me with that dead deer mouth, I will –” She froze with a pained grimace as he licked a long stripe up her neck to her jaw. “Derek Hale, you better be ready to sleep on the couch tonight.” She warned.

“Oh, she told you!” Scott cooed, now dressed by the bonfire. Isaac happily watched on as well, feeling more at home than ever as Derek mercilessly teased Sophie. Having her here made it feel like a home.

 

Derek nudged her with his nose, making her squeal again before trotting off behind a camp chair, shifting back into his human self.  
  
“On the couch, really Soph?” Derek asked, slipping into his sweatpants. “That’s a good buck,” he motioned to the dead animal on the ground.

 

“Did you have fun, Liam?” She asked dismissing her beau as she turned her attention to the youngest member of the group. Liam nodded, taking his seat again.

 

“Yeah, they’re really fast,” he smiled. “It was nice to run,” he added. It didn’t sound like he got to do much of that previously.

 

“I’ve had enough excitement for the night, you boys make good decisions,” she gave Derek a pointed look before she made her way back toward the house through the back patio.

 

“You’re in trouble,” Jackson sang like a fourth-grader.

 

“Handle that,” Derek said, motioning back toward the buck.

 

He followed her, a few paces behind, watching dutifully as she climbed the stairs. Sophie knew Derek was on her tail and she put just a little but more sway into her steps as she went up to the third floor.

 

“You were a bad puppy,” she said, pausing in his bedroom and looking over her shoulder at the wolfman. She then crossed her arms across her waist and pulled her sweatshirt over her head, tossing it to the ground. She them hooked her thumbs into the band of her sweatpants, pulling them down her legs along with this briefs.

 

She sauntered into the adjoined bathroom, stepping into the glass shower and turning the knob to start the water. Derek peeled his own briefs off, walking into the bathroom and reaching for the glass door.

 

“Ah, ah, ah, good boys get to join, bad puppies do not,” she wagged her finger. Derek eyed her darkly, watching the water run down her neck to her chest to the tops of her thighs. She scrubbed herself down with soap, hair dry and piled on top of her head. Derek leaned against the shower wall, naked as the day he was born with his elbows braced on the glass over his head. She gave him a look up and down his sinful body.

 

“You better brush those teeth if you want a shot at sleeping in the bed tonight,” she gave him a pointed look. Derek gave his signature scowl, turning toward the sink. Sophie cut the water when she felt clean, stepping out of the shower and lightly drying off in the mirror behind Derek. She then picked up his briefs, still warm from his skin and slid them over her hips.

 

Derek spit out the last of his toothpaste, wiping his mouth off before walking back to the bedroom. He stood in the doorway, watching as she crawled into bed and pulled his furry throw blanket up her chest, covering her upper half as she leaned back onto the pillows of the made bed.

 

“You know why a wolf brings home a buck that big?” He asked, leaning on the wall and flexing his muscle, emanating pure confidence as he stood stark naked.

 

“Why’s that?” She sighed, bending one knee and tracing her foot up her leg.

 

“To show off,” Derek began, taking a step toward the bed, “in front of his female,” he approached further, “and that he can provide for her.” He kneeled on the bed, crawling towards in her a way that could be only be described as predatory.

 

“So you were _trying_ to be sweet puppy, huh?” She asked, rubbing the soft fur of her blanket over her body. Derek nodded, advancing on her. She placed her foot on his shoulder as he got closer, keeping him from getting _too_ close. He brought his hand up, placing it on the outside of her ankle and pressing a kiss to the inside.

 

“I was,” he confirmed, kissing down her leg toward her knee.

 

“You were what?” She asked, lips pulling up at their corners.

 

“I was trying to be good,” He pressed, his hand running down her leg.

 

“You were trying to be a good…” She trailed, making him scowl.

  
“Good.” He snarled, biting her leg and making her squeal with laughter.

 

“Get over here,” she conceded, opening up her arms. He happily obliged, diving into the bed and resting his head on her chest, the furry blanket between them. “Before you fall asleep, set the alarm for six,” she said. He groaned, rolling over to the other side of the wide mattress, setting not only his clock, but his phone as well before returning to her warmth.

 

He nuzzled into her chest, one hand coming up under her blanket and palming her breast as his eyes closed. She ran her hand gently through his hair, fingernails grazing his scalp and watching as nearly his whole body broke out in goosebumps.

 

“For the record, if you come near me with that mouth after you killed an animal again, I’m going to twist your nipple,” she threatened with a mumble.

 

“Noted.”


	11. Cinnamon Rolls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> medium-length update today, a little domestic fluff. hope everyone has a great weekend! next update will be sunday or monday. please leave a comment if you're enjoying the fic :)

“Okay, I need five tablespoons of brown sugar,” Sophie said, instructing Isaac who stood at the ready. “Now you’re going to mix those five tablespoons in with the two cups of melted butter,” she pointed to the big mixing bowl. She watched Isaac with a careful eye as she then measured out three teaspoons of cinnamon.

 

“Like this?” He asked.

 

“Perfect,” she nodded. Derek sat contently on the couch that sunny Sunday morning, reading the paper with his feet up. It was just the four of them home that weekend and he already spent an hour pruning weeds in the front yard. Now, he could smell melted butter and sugar swirling in the kitchen as he listened to Sophie teach Isaac how to make her grandmother’s cinnamon rolls.

 

“Then the cinnamon,” she said, dropping it into the mixture that was forming a thin paste. “And just a few pinches of nutmeg.”

 

An hour later, they were sitting around the dining room table with rolls, bacon, scrambled eggs and an array of fresh fruit – all prepared by Sophie with the assistance of Isaac.

 

“Okay, taste tester,” Sophie smiled at Liam who eyed the cinnamon roll the size of his baseball glove on his plate.

 

“It’s real’ good,” he said with his mouth full.

 

“Good!” She smiled, spooning eggs on to her plate.

 

“You’re going to be a really good Mom, Sophie,” Isaac commented, surprising her. It wasn’t necessarily a compliment she got often.

 

“Um, thanks Ize,” she replied, popping a strawberry into her mouth.

 

“You will,” Liam agreed quietly. “I used to love watching my Mom cook,” he added, “she’d play music and ask me to peel the potatoes. Those are some of my favorite memories of her.”

 

Sophie reached across the table top, putting her hand on Liam’s and giving it a little squeeze.

 

“That’s a really sweet story, Liam,” she encouraged. “I bet she loved spending that time with you.”

 

It was quiet for a beat.

 

“Liam, I was thinking we could head to the batting cages today,” Derek said, pouring his newest charge a glass of milk and sliding it toward him. “Take a few swings,” Liam perked up at the suggestion. “I ran into Coach Bodey at the hardware store the other day and he said he had a lot of seniors leave last year and they’ll be looking for some young guns.”

 

“Yeah, I’d like that,” Liam nodded.

 

“If we go after breakfast, we can get a good hour, hour and a half before the engineer gets here at two,” Derek replied.

  
“Engineer?” Isaac asked.

  
“Having them take a look to see if part of the yard meets the requirements for a pool,” Derek grinned, watching as both boys at the table looked up excitedly at one another.

 

“You’re putting a pool in?” Liam asked with wide eyes.

 

“Thought it might be a good addition to the house,” Derek nodded.

 

“Just in time for swimming season, too,” Sophie teased. It would be incredibly egotistic of her to wonder if she had any influence on this decision, but she’d lie if she said it didn’t cross her mind.

 

A while later, Derek was gearing up to leave for the batting cages as Sophie grabbed her phone charger from his nightstand.

 

“See you later tonight?” Derek asked, looking positively delectable in his baseball-style red and white tee and jeans, a black baseball cap on his head.

 

“You better,” she grinned, sticking her hand in his front pocket and pulling him toward her. “I’m making pulled pork in the crockpot. If you bring me some dessert for after dinner, I’ll let you eat it off of my body,” she whispered into his hear, hand goosing his cock through his jeans. She laughed evilly as he groaned, watching her flounce from the bedroom.

 

She was going to be the death of him.

 

[][][]

 

Later that night, Derek parked his Camaro behind Sophie’s Touareg in the driveway, holding a little brown bag with two cartons of Haagen Dazs ice cream and a bottle of Reddi-Wip – just in case.

 

He paused at the front door, hearing her voice carrying from the family room as well as another.

 

_“Not even kidding, he’s got a body that makes me see God,” he heard Sophie’s voice._

_“That good, huh?”_ She must have Lauren on Skype or speakerphone.

 

_“Remember when I was dating Zach Fortnier in college and I thought he had a nice ass and a big dick?” Sophie replied. “Derek makes Zach Fortnier look like Zach Galifinakis.”_

 

Derek snorted.

_“Damn, maybe I need to get to Beacon Hills and find myself a little country boy,” Lauren replied._

_“Sorry babe, I’ve already got the only good one here,” Sophie replied. “I’ve gotta go though, he should be here any minute and I need to shave my legs.”_

_“K, text me after your dick appointment.”_

  
Derek blinked.

 

He walked up and down the block a few times before ringing her doorbell. She opened up the door with a smile and freshly shaved legs under her the hem of her little pink sundress.

 

“Hey you,” she grinned, pushing the door all the way open, “what did you bring me?” She asked.

 

“Some ice cream… and whipped cream.” He held up the paper bag.

 

“Mm, my favorite,” she pulled him into the house. “I just finished grading fifty-five essays on the industrial revolution, you look like a big glass of lemonade in the summer heat.” She said, pulling him closer by the belt loop until she could wrap her arms around his neck.

 

“At your service,” he husked, pressing his lips to hers. She moaned softly into his mouth, hands roaming from his neck down this chest and back again.

 

“You’re really good at that,” she smiled against the corner of his mouth. “I just plated dinner.” She led him over to her little dining room table where she had a plate waiting with two heaping sandwiches garnished with a pickle slice atop each sesame seed bun.

 

“Sophie,” he gave hear a deadpan look after swallowing his first bite. “This is amazing.”

 

“It’s my grandma’s recipe,” she smiled proudly. “I can’t cook a lot, but the recipes of hers I learned, I can do pretty well.”

 

“Does she still live in Miami?” Derek asked, reaching for the bag of jalapeno chips on the center of the table.

 

“She passed away with I was sixteen,” Sophie replied, “I got to learn how to make these from her in her kitchen.”

 

He opened his mouth to speak before pausing, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket.

  
“Sorry, it’s Liam do you mind?” He asked, holding up his cell.

 

“Of course not, go ahead,” she insisted.

 

“Hey buddy,” he answered, taking a drink of the beer she twisted the cap off of for him earlier. “Yeah of course, you know there’s cash in the office.” He gave Sophie a little smile. “All right, you stay out of trouble,” he paused. “When will I be home?” He looked over at her again. She gave a little shrug.

 

“It _is_ a school night after all,” she whispered, taking a sip of her wine.

 

“I’ll be home,” he replied, “but it will be late.” He leaned back in his seat, “very late.”

 

He said goodbye before setting his phone back down on the table.

 

“Very late, huh?” She asked, amused.

  
Half an hour later, they were settled on her little couch – Derek leaning against the armrest with his feet out in front of him on the sofa and Sophie in his lap, mimicking his pose and resting against his chest.

  
“Smooth legs,” he commented as she stretched her hand up behind her, playing with the hairs at the base of his neck absentmindedly.

 

“Thanks,” she commented airily, grabbing his hand and draping his arm across her waist. She carried on, attempting to twirl his short, straight hair around her fingers.

 

“Mmm,” he moaned, pleased with the touch.

 

“Feel good?” She asked.

 

“I love when you do that,” he replied, giving up a piece of information he wasn’t always so generous with. Derek was a bit of a puzzle. He was liberal with some details and stories and staunch with others.

 

“You like a little scratch?” She said, dropping her head back against his shoulder.

 

“Yeah,” he mumbled, letting his head roll forward and giving her more access to his scalp. “That’s nice,” he complimented.

 

“You seem tense, Der,” She said feeling the muscles in his neck tense and bunch.

 

“Batting cages got me all twisted up,” he mumbled, groaning as her fingertips manipulated the muscles in his neck. “I’m old.”

 

“If you’re old, I’m old – and I am _not_ old,” she said, giving his hair a soft tug. She could see his eyes fluttering shut, drooped in exhaustion as well as satisfaction.

 

She knew he must have had a long week of working on the yards and helping out with Isaac and Liam.

 

“Hey,” she said, tucking two fingers up under his chin and bringing him back to attention. “How about we postpone our ice cream escapade and have a wild night of relaxation and sleep?” She suggested.

 

“I can get a second wind,” he insisted.

 

“Derek, you don’t have to,” she replied. “Come on, call Liam, tell him you’ll be by to bring him to school in the morning. We can go upstairs and I’ll give you a rubdown.” Derek muscles howled at the suggestion.

 

“A rubdown?” He asked.

 

“Yeah, let’s go,” she patted his thigh. “Last one in their pajamas is a rotten egg.” He watched as she got up from the couch, setting her wine glass down on the kitchen island before heading upstairs.

 

Derek did in fact call Liam and tell him he’d be by in the morning before setting his empty beer in the sink and heading upstairs as well.

 

“Come on, big guy,” Sophie said, already down to a tee and her panties. “Shirt off, on the bed,” she insisted, stepping into her bathroom and grabbing her lightly scented lotion from the bathroom counter. She also nabbed the candle she kept by the foot of the tub, bringing it to her side table and lighting it while Derek got comfortable on the mattress, stripped down to his boxers.

 

Her eyes took in his body like a starving woman at a buffet – it was all hers for the touching.

 

“You give many massages?” He asked, grabbing a pillow and tucking it under his chest.

 

“No, but it can’t be that hard,” she shrugged, kneeling on the mattress and shuffling over until she was sitting on the rise of his ass. She poured out some lotion into her palms, rubbing them together before placing them on his back, priming with a firm drag from the base of his spine to his neck.

 

Derek unraveled with a loud moan.

 

“I did not expect that,” he followed up, making Sophie giggle.

 

“So far so good, then,” she laughed, repeating the motion and kneading his warm skin like pliable dough. She paid extra attention to his shoulders, anchoring her hands and spreading her thumbs, finding the sinew of his muscles and pushing them up and down. She worked it over until his shoulders felt less like a tightly-coiled snake and more like a bin of bread dough before moving down his back, repeating the process with his hips.

 

All in all, it took thirty minutes to render the wolfman useless.

 

“How are we feeling?” She whispered into his ear.

 

“Am I awake?” He asked, dazed. She smiled, getting off the bed and lifting up the covers before climbing in.

 

“Come on puppy, under the blankets,” she prodded him. He reluctantly obliged, moving slowly as he slid under the covers. Soon, she was snuggled up tightly, her back to his chest as he hooked a leg over her and pressed his nose into the back of her neck.

 

“Thank you for the rubdown,” he mumbled, kissing an available patch of skin.

 

“It was my pleasure,” she replied, “and now, it’s going to be my pleasure to fall asleep.” She said, setting the alarm on her phone before letting herself drift into sleep.

 

[][][]

 

It was almost lunchtime for Sophie at BHMS the next day. Having a little bit of a lie-in that morning after deciding she could skip a shower for a few more moments of Derek’s arms around her, she also skipped the time she’d usually throw together a salad to bring to the school.

 

“Okay guys, see you tomorrow!” She smiled as she dismissed her first class. She had only twenty minutes to get something to eat before setting up for her next class. She picked up her phone, checking to see if she had any missed messages.

 

“Excuse me, Ms. McLaren, I need some help with my homework,” She looked up to see Derek in the doorway, holding a bag she was all too familiar with from Jade Temple.

 

“My hero,” she swooned. “How did you get into the school?” She asked, pulling him into the classroom and closing the door behind him.

 

“Principal Dewberry happened to be at the front desk when I strolled in,” he said, approaching her desk. “I was just going to drop it off at reception, but he gave me the green light to come visit,” he grinned.

 

“What a man,” she sighed happily, pulling up another chair to her desk. “Eggrolls, fried rice, you got my favorites,” she said excitedly.

 

“You’re easy to please, McLaren.” Derek laughed. “So this is where you crack the whip, huh?” He asked, looking over the organized classroom.

 

“This is it,” she nodded. “This is where I’m Ms. McLaren - _history badass_ ,” she added.

  
“You have pretty good kids, right?” He asked, opening up his own carton of beef and broccoli. It was amazing how much more Chinese food he started consuming since meeting Sophie. The family that ran the restaurant knew his order before he even called – categorized into three possibilities: Derek’s order, Derek and Sophie’s order, and the pack’s order.

 

“Really good kids,” she agreed. “Sixth grade is fun because they’re still interested in learning, they still get excited when they learn about something they enjoy…” she explained, “when I was student teaching, I was with eighth graders and they were already too cool for school.” She laughed, “learning is dumb, homework is worse and respecting teachers is for losers. Of course, it’s not _every_ kid, but I would say a majority.”

 

“I was always bad at history,” Derek confessed, “I was more of a math and science guy. I got a C in history and a C in English and I was just happy to pass. Those C’s felt like A’s. My mom tried everything to help me, tutors, bribery.” He laughed.

 

“Sounds like a good Mom,” Sophie grinned. Derek placed his hand on her knee, leaning over and pressing a kiss to her mouth. “Mm, broccoli,” she teased.

 

“Liam’s got baseball tryouts this week,” Derek commented.

 

“Is he ready?” She replied, taking a sip from her water bottle.

 

“As ready as he can be,” Derek shrugged. “I think I’m more nervous than him.”

 

“He’ll do great,” Sophie insisted.

 

“He’s just had such a terrible last few weeks, I really want something good for him,” Derek replied.

 

“Hey,” she caught his attention, “you’ve been so good to him,” she insisted. “He’s so lucky to have you.” This time, Derek didn’t hesitate to lean over, kissing her soundly from behind the little desk they had squeezed into. “Imagine where he’d be without you, huh? Probably in foster care or shipped out of Beacon.” She squeezed his leg, “you’re a good man, Derek Hale.”

 

It was then, sitting in her sixth-grade history classroom that Derek knew he really _loved_ Sophie McLaren.

 

[][][]

 

Sophie was bent over a mixing bowl, stirring furiously to perfect her grandmother’s homemade royal icing. This cake was going to be celebratory for Liam after his baseball tryouts today and it needed to be perfect.

 

Isaac had wiggled out of Liam that his favorite cake was double vanilla and damn it, he was going to get double vanilla.

 

She knew he had his sights set on varsity, but both Derek and Sophie were hoping he he’d just make a team. He was a bit on the small scale and still an eighth grader – a fresh one at that.

 

She carefully slid her phone open with the palm of her hand as her fingers were stained with sticky sweet icing.

 

“Hey, Der,” she answered, looking over to the cake that was nearly cooled on a rack and waiting to be dressed.

 

“Hi Soph,” Derek replied and she recognized right away she was on speakerphone in the Camaro.

 

“How did it go today?” She asked, wondering if Liam was in the car with him. It was nearly six and she knew tryouts must have been wrapping up at that point.

 

“Liam, do you want to tell her?” Derek asked.

 

“I made JV!” She heard Liam’s excited voice.

 

“Liam! Congratulations!” She was so happy she could cry. “I’m so proud of you!”

 

“Practice starts tomorrow,” Derek said, “so we’re going to stop at the sporting good’s story and pick up a batting glove quick before heading over.”

 

“Alright, well everything will be ready when you get here,” Sophie replied, staring down at her icing determinedly. “See you soon!”

 

In the next twenty minutes, three things needed to happen: she needed to ice the cake, set the table and toss tortillas in the oven to warm up. She threw together everything she needed to make an impressive taco bar that would be enough food to feed her two sixth grade classes – or five werewolves, Stiles and herself.

 

Just as she was contemplating growing another arm, her front door flew open to reveal Scott, Stiles and Jackson.

  
“Sorry we’re late!” Scott said, already picking up the stack of plates and walking over to the table that was just barely going to fit them all (thanks to an additional card table).  
  
“Did you guys hear the good news?” She asked, layering the icing onto the cake as Stiles picked up silverware and moved bowls of lettuce, cheese and salsa to the dining table as well.

 

“We snuck into the gym and watched from the rafters,” Isaac replied easily, frowning when Stiles decked him hard in the arm. “What!” He hissed.

 

“He didn’t see you, did he? He was already so nervous,” Sophie frowned.

 

“No, we were out of sight,” Scott reassured her.

 

“He did a really good job,” Jackson said, entering the house smoothly and grabbing the empty icing bowl, sticking it in the dishwasher.

 

“You can hear us talking out there?” Sophie asked with a tilt of her head. All four of her guests paused.

 

“No,” Jackson lied.

 

“I’m going to have to talk to Derek,” she mumbled.

 

“Way to go,” Scott whispered pointedly.

  
“Okay, they should be here in the next ten minutes, so keep your hands busy till then,” she warned, knowing they would be all over the taco bar and guacamole otherwise.

 

Isaac wiggled restlessly as Derek’s Camaro pulled in front of Sophie’s house – the miniscule driveway already past capacity with the Touareg and Jeep parked there.

 

“He’s here!” Sophie cheered as Liam stepped into the house first, his baseball glove tucked under his arm. The teen turned bright red as his packmates swarmed him – ruffling his hair and a few slaps to the back. “Congrats, Liam,” she said, opening her arms for a hug. He didn’t hesitate to step into her embrace, eyes fluttering shut for a moment as he reveled in feeling of human touch. It made him miss his mother.

 

Derek was the last to step through the threshold, eyeing up Liam and Sophie like he was coming home.

 

“Hey, you,” Sophie smiled as the boys began to hover closer and closer to the dinner table. Derek leaned down, kissing her soundly in a way that he didn’t do too often in front of the boys – but they didn’t complain. “Okay, you can eat, but Liam gets first pick.” She tossed over her shoulder.

 

Liam smirked confidently as he reached for his first tortilla.

 

“Smells good in here,” Derek commented, an arm still wrapped tightly about Sophie’s body as he held her close to him.

 

“Well, turns out I’m a domestic goddess, so that’s probably why,” she feigned nonchalance.

 

“Is it safe to assume I can stay over tonight?” He asked, eyeing up the cake on countertop.

 

“It’s a school night!” Isaac laughed from the table.

 

“I guess that answers that question.”


	12. Puppies & Kittens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i can't believe i named a chapter "puppies & kittens."
> 
> please comment if you're enjoying!
> 
> have a great week, ya'll.

“I just need a few things,” Sophie insisted as they entered Vintage Faire Mall that Saturday afternoon in Modesto. They drove to Beacon Hills Mall for Sophie’s first visit to the shopping center, but upon seeing the selection of stores, they promptly left before Derek could even eye up the pretzel stand.

 

“Doesn’t make a difference to me,” Derek shrugged, her hand tucked into his. The handholding was new – it certainly wasn’t something they did around Beacon Hills, but she enjoyed the way it felt.

 

It was true, Derek didn’t really care. He amused himself as she shopped for new jeans, picking up a few pairs at J. Crew and moving on to Sephora where he sampled all of the perfumes before she settled on a moisturizer and a new brow tool.

 

Derek, looking down at his phone, didn’t even notice he was walking into a Victoria’s Secret until he was parked at a panty display.

  
“Oh,” he commented, looking up and tucking his phone into his pocket.

 

“They’re having a really good sale on panties, I can get seven for $35,” she explained, circling the display. He watched her first reach for a medium size set of panties before wandering further into the store. He’d be the first admit it was his maiden voyage into the lingerie section, but he definitely had an idea of what he wanted.

 

Any veteran of Victoria’s Secret knew the store was split into sections, PINK, everyday wear, sports wear, swim and two sections of high-end lingerie. Derek didn’t see why every section could have the thin lace and racy designs of the high-end sections.

 

What started as a few pairs of sheer lace in his hand turned into a small mountain of garments, ranging from cute to racy.

 

“Excuse me,” Sophie laughed, spotting Derek a few moments later as she arrived with her own handful of everyday underwear.

 

“Oh, these aren’t for you, these are for me,” he commented evenly, his eye catching display of what appeared to be body oils near the register. “Look Soph, they have the massage stuff.” She had honestly never seen him so distracted. It was a bit unsettling.

 

She head to the cash register, paying for her purchases as the cashier eyed Derek who was taking his time selectively choosing a body oil, sniffing each one.

 

“I’m sure he’ll be done sometime today,” Sophie told the cashier, who simply smiled. “Der, you want a coffee?” She asked, holding her little bag.

 

“Coffee sounds good,” he agreed.

 

By the time she made her way to the mall’s Starbucks and back, she was able to witness Derek exiting the Victoria’s Secret with a bag that was big enough to hide a barstool.

 

“I’m sure you’ll look lovely in all of your new purchases,” she commented, handing over his black coffee.

 

“They’re for my eyes, not my body,” he replied. “I’m sure _you’ll_ look lovely in all of it,” he quirked a brow.

 

“How much did you spend?” She inquired as she tucked her hand back in his. She had officially purchased everything she needed for the day and they turned in the direction of the parking lot.

 

“I can’t remember,” he lied, taking a sip of his coffee, “but I’m sure it will be worth it.”

 

Back at Sophie’s house, she folded her new clothes and put them away while Derek assembled her new little charcoal grill in the backyard.

 

“Soph, what is this?” Derek asked, looking down the inflatable kiddie pool in her grass.

 

“That’s my pool,” she smiled, stepping into the backyard in her bikini with towel in hand.

 

“It’s nearly November and you’re going to get in that water?” Derek asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

 

“It’s seventy degrees, Derek,” she rolled her eyes. He watched as she tossed down her towel before climbing into the little inflatable that was clearly meant for a toddler. Her shoulders rest against one side while her knees hung over the opposite. “It’s perfect,” she sighed, arms resting along the edges. “Come on in, the water’s fine,” she laughed.

 

“If I got in there, there’d be no water left!” He laughed. “They’re coming to break ground in the yard on Wednesday for the pool, so it should be finished about six weeks from then.” He said, walking over and sitting on the ground beside the pool.

 

“I love swimming pools,” she sighed. “I don’t know what it is, but I love them,” she dropped her head back for a moment, eyes closing. “Ugh,” she whined. “It’s cold.”

 

“Can’t say I didn’t warn you,” Derek concealed his grin.

 

“Wanna warm me up?” She asked, picking her head up again.

 

“Not in there,” Derek scoffed.

 

“Come on, pool sex could be fun,” she smiled.

 

“I’m sure it could be, and we can do that when we have a real pool,” Derek raised an eyebrow. “But if I climb in that thing, I’m going to pop it.”

 

“Spoilsport,” she huffed childishly.

  
“You want me to warm you up?” He sighed, getting up from the grass.

 

“Yes, please,” she smiled, making grabby hands. He scooped her out of the pool with something short of a scream coming from her mouth. “Have I ever told you how much I love these?” She asked as she squeezed his biceps in her hands. He carried her through the house like a koala, moving upstairs to the bedroom.

 

“Not outright, but I’m not surprised,” he replied. He set her down on the bed, walking over to the closet and pulling down her bathrobe. It was short and thick and would at least attempt to warm her up. But he had other plans as well.

 

She shivered in anticipation as he undid the ties of her bikini bottom before wrapping her up in her robe. Then, he crawled onto the full-size mattress, making himself comfortable with his hands tucked behind his head and an award-winning smile showing off his teeth.

 

“That was your big plan?” She asked, unimpressed, “take off my bottoms and put my robe on?”

 

“No,” he grinned, “I want you to sit on my face,” he chuckled. He didn’t think he’d _ever_ seen Sophie blush before.

 

“You want me to…” she trailed, watching as he curled a finger, beckoning her over.

 

“C’mere,” he insisted. She could feel her cheeks burning as she approached him, straddling his shoulders. “Little lower,” he teased as she slowly lowered herself over his chin. “Right there,” he said, satisfied.

  
With the first swipe of his tongue, she felt her legs shake. She reached forward, gripping onto the windowpane above her bed for balance. If there was one thing Derek really knew how to do… it was this.

 

“Shit,” she gasped as he reached up, cradling her thighs and pulling her down even lower. She let go of the windowpane, leaning forward and digging her hands into his hair, eyes screwing shut as he worked her over relentlessly. “Jesus, Derek!” She squeaked. With the guidance of his hands on her hips, he pulled her back and forth over his face until she was doing it on her own.

 

He loved to be the reason she made those little noises.

 

She squealed as she felt his tongue enter her, his nose bumping into her clit as he tried to go deeper and deeper.

  
“Der, please, I want – ” She shuddered, inhaling sharply.

 

“You want what?” He asked,

 

“I want your cock,” she gasped.

 

“On your knees,” he said, bringing his hand down in a sharp spank on her ass. He sprung up as she resituated, watching as she threw off her bathrobe. He trailed his hands down her arms, bringing her hands up to the bed frame and placing them there before taking his cock in hand.

 

“Derek,” Sophie whined, “come on.”

 

“Right here?” He asked, rubbing his cockhead over her opening. She arched her back, tilting her hips down and giving him better access to her sex.

 

“Yes!” She all but shouted, pushing herself back further. Derek complied, pushing into her slowly and grinning as he heard her long, desperate moan.

 

That didn’t get old – and it certainly didn’t take long for either of them to reach their end, both of them fairly keyed up from the spontaneity of it all.

 

“Fuck,” Sophie collapsed on the mattress, face-first.

 

“Come on Soph, gotta clean up,” Derek mumbled into her neck.

 

Certainly his least favorite part.

 

[][][]

 

Sophie sat on the rug on her living room floor in wonderment, a perma-smile on her face as she dragged the snippet of yarn back and forth.

  
“My goodness you’re cute!” She cooed, wiggling her fingers in front of the little orange kitten. “Huh, Nina?” She made little kissing noises, causing the kitten to come leaping toward her. “Neener, neener,” she sang, taking the little thing up her hands and cuddling her close to her chest.

 

Earlier that afternoon, on her third visit to the Beacon Hills Pet Rescue Center, she spotted the kitten and just couldn’t leave without her.

 

“Little Nina,” she sang, cradling the kitten and showing her around the house. The kitchen, where her little food and water dish were stationed, the laundry room where she could find her cat box, and the miniature cat tower she had in the corner of the family room.

 

So far, Nina loved the radiators that Sophie had turned on for the first time since moving to California, as it was a balmy fifty-eight degrees in Beacon Hills that morning.

 

“Mommy loves you, baby,” she cooed, burying her face into the soft orange fur.

 

She spent a lazy afternoon on the couch with Nina, watching as she alternated falling asleep on Sophie’s chest to chasing her fingers around on the soft rug below.

 

She tried not to giggle as Nina jumped a foot in the air when the doorbell rang. The boys were coming by to help her haul a few things out of her basement into her car before they all were going by the high school to watch Liam’s first baseball scrimmage. She was already dreading leaving Nina.

 

“Hi Soph!” She smiled upon seeing a bright, happy Isaac. “Who is that!” He said excitedly, bounding over to her on the couch.

 

“This is Nina,” she smiled, holding the kitten up.

 

“Hi Nina,” Isaac greeted as Derek walked into the house.

 

“Soph,” he eyed the brunette whose face radiated pure joy.

 

“Hi, Der,” she greeted, carefully handling Nina into Isaac’s arm.

 

“It smells like cat,” Derek’s nose scrunched as he walked further into the house.

 

“Be nice to my baby,” she said, sliding her hands around his hips, placing her chin on his chest and looking up at him sternly. “She was just a little stray before I took her in.” Derek all but rolled his eyes, leaning down and slanting his mouth over hers.

 

“Don’t look, Nina, your parents are being gross,” Isaac said, causing Sophie to break away from Derek and laugh loudly. “Derek, can we get a kitten?” Isaac asked, looking to his Alpha.

 

“No,” Derek said with finality.

 

“But,” Isaac said, holding up Nina who chose that moment to open her mouth and let out what Sophie was sure was meant to be a ferocious noise, but ended up being a petite _meow_. “Look, Derek, you’ve upset her!” Isaac claimed.

 

“Soph, can you point me in the direction of the boxes you need moved?” Derek asked pointedly.

 

“You don’t want to say hello to Neener?” She asked with a laugh. “Come on, they’re in the laundry room.” Doug and Barb left a fair amount of junk in the basement that they claimed ‘if you can haul it, you can have it.’ They saw it as Sophie doing them a favor and offered to knock a few hundred off her rent if she was able to clean it out - she saw it as a chance to donate some used goods to the hospital. “These two down there,” she ushered to two enormous boxes. “They’re all filled with books and VHS tapes and I can’t lift them on my own.” She said, watching as Derek stacked one on top of the other and lifted them easily. “Love to watch you flex,” she sighed.

 

Derek fought the urge to roll his eyes as he dutifully carried them out to the car, loading the boxes in the back of her Touareg.

 

“Thank you, puppy,” Sophie smiled as he re-entered the house, Isaac still on the floor rolling around with the kitten.

 

Derek gave an exasperated sigh at the use of his least favorite nickname.

 

“Come on, Derek, look at her,” Isaac said, cradling the kitten to him. “We need one,” he added.

 

“We are going to be late to the game if we don’t get going,” Derek said finally.

 

“Be good for Mommy, okay?” Sophie said, giving Nina a kiss before setting her inside of her little cat tower.

 

Derek opened the driver’s side door for Sophie, grabbing the fleece blanket he brought along just for her and setting it in her lap.

 

“Thanks, baby,” she smiled. It rolled off her lips naturally, but it was the first time she had ever called him that. He liked it.

 

When they arrived at the stadium, it was fairly empty – baseball was not the big attraction in Beacon Hills, nor were they playing a big opponent in the training scrimmage. They had their pick of seats and Sophie was quick to drape her blanket over she and Isaac, leaning into Derek’s side.

 

“There he is!” She said excitedly, pointing out Liam who was wearing number 14 in the maroon and white. “Our baby,” she squealed, gripping Derek’s arm in her hands.

 

An hour later, Sophie remembered why she wasn’t much for baseball seeing as they were only in the third inning and it was a 0-0 score.

 

“Baseball is slow,” Isaac commented, his head resting on Sophie’s shoulder.

 

“It is,” Sophie agreed, “I can confirm that.”

 

“I’m hungry,” He replied, “I wish Nina was here.”

 

“Me too,” Sophie sighed, scooting away from Derek and leaning against Isaac, the two of them holding one another upright. “Der?” She looked over at him, blinking like a baby owl.

 

“Sophie,” he returned her look, already certain of what she was going to ask.

 

“We’re hungry,” she said, pouting out her lower lip.

 

“And what would you like me to do about it?” He asked, already palming his car keys in his pocket.

 

“Will you make a burger run?” Isaac asked, leaning forward from behind Sophie.

 

“Yeah, will you?” She asked. Derek, for what felt like the fiftieth time that night, sighed.

 

“Okay, but you guys owe me one,” Derek insisted, actually quite relieved to get away from the game for a moment.

 

“I’m sure Sophie can think of a way to make it up to you,” Isaac said with a shit-eating grin.

 

[][][]

 

Derek’s head flopped back against the pillows of Sophie’s bed, eyes shut and mouth open. His fingers twisted in her hair between his legs as she tried to see just how far she could get his dick down her throat.

 

“Ah,” he gasped, feeling his head bump against the back of her mouth.

 

“Mm,” she moaned around his length, pulling up and covering the length of his shaft not currently in her mouth with her hand, pumping him gently. Her other hand busied itself with his balls, rolling them gently in her palm as her tongue ran the rim of his head.

 

“Fuck!” He howled, not too far off from one she had heard come from him when he ran in the woods as a wolf. His eyes popped open, looking down at her as he brushed her hair out of her face.

 

A movement in the corner of the room caught his eye as he spotted Nina, sitting by the door and watching on with a tilt of her head.

 

He closed his eyes again, groaning loudly as her teeth dragged gently down his shaft.

 

His eyes opened again to the sight of Nina just a little closer to the bed and he grimaced.

 

“Sophie,” he mumbled, eyeing the cat carefully. “Sophie,” he repeated. “Soph, you’ve got to get your cat out of here.” That certainly got her attention.

  
Sophie’s mouth popped off him with a nearly obnoxious squelch and she looked up at him pointedly.

 

“What?” She asked, panting softly.

 

“Your cat keeps looking at me,” he stressed, gesturing to the tiny thing who was now attempting to claw it’s way up her comforter to the bed. “It’s literally watching you suck me off.”

 

“Don’t be ridiculous, Derek,” Sophie rolled her eyes, reaching over and picking up Nina. “Hi pretty baby,” she cooed. “You have to wait outside, Derek’s scared of a little baby kitten seeing his cock,” she baby-talked to the thing. Derek huffed, annoyed. “I know baby, just at little while,” she assured the kitten who was now quite vocal at the prospect of being left in the hallway.

 

She closed the door softly behind her and looked over to the bed where Derek was laid out, his erection flagging.

 

“Feel better?” She asked teasingly. He’d almost be annoyed if it weren’t for the black lace teddy she was donning, courtesy of his enlightening trip to Victoria’s Secret. She stood just a few steps back from the foot of the bed, admiring the sight. Derek had a body built for sin. It certainly made small-town life just a little better knowing she had her own jungle gym at the ready.

 

“You going to take a picture?” He asked, tucking his hands behind his head and giving the slightest flex of his biceps.

  
“I should,” she breathed airily, climbing on to the bed once again. “Now, are you going to be my good puppy?” She asked, sitting on his abs and running a hand through his hair.

 

“Mhm,” he agreed, letting her tug his hair around a little bit.

 

“Mhm?” She asked, “is that why you don’t like Nina? Because you’re a puppy?” She asked rhetorically. “Because you’re my big puppy?”

 

“Not a puppy,” he mumbled as she leaned forward, placing a few kisses down his neck.

  
“Know what I heard Scott call you the other day?” She asked, kissing back up his neck to his jaw, poised to whisper in his ear. “Alpha,” she whispered, gently biting his earlobe. Derek shuddered. “Oh you like that, huh?” She asked, looping her arms around his neck, pecking his lips teasingly. “That means you’re in charge, doesn’t it?” She grinned.

 

“Mhm,” Derek nodded, a cocky smile working it’s way across her face.

 

“So then, Mr. Big Bad, why don’t _you_ tell _me_ what to do?” She asked, tilting her head and sitting back on her haunches.

 

Derek was going to have a lot of fun with this.


	13. He's a Townie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> couple things happen in this chapter! lauren comes to visit, derek & sophie clear the air.
> 
> i'll be going out of town tonight and won't be home till friday, so update will be saturday morning.
> 
> leave a comment :)

Sophie’s knee bounced excitedly as she sat on the bench, staring up at the screen to see that the flight had in fact arrived and landed safely at Sacramento International Airport.

 

“Should be coming any moment,” Derek said, squeezing Sophie’s hand in his. He hadn’t seen her this excited since meeting the brunette nearly five months ago now. Finally, Lauren Fitzpatrick was making a trip out to Beacon Hills, California to see her best friend in her new place of residence.

 

“Look! People!” She said, popping up from her seat on the bench. Derek stood up beside her. He had seen just a few photos of Lauren from Sophie’s social media or around her house, but he wasn’t sure if he could pick her out of a crowd. His eyebrows shot up into his hairline as Sophie squealed and took off like a rocket. He watched as she nearly bowled over a petite blonde who had just come down the escalator to baggage claim.

 

The two chirped back and forth excitedly, quickly enough that he could pick up only little snippets of their chatter.

 

“You don’t have a bag, right?” He heard Sophie ask.

 

“No, just my backpack and this one,” he watched Lauren lift up her bag. “I figured I’d just use your stuff if I needed anything else.”

 

“Lolo, this is Derek,” Sophie all but beamed, making Derek’s face warm as the two stood in front of him.

  
“Nice to meet you, Lauren,” he greeted as he stuck out his hand.

 

“Likewise, Hale, I have heard _a lot_ about you,” she grinned. “Maybe even too much,” she added, making Derek smirk and look at Sophie pointedly who didn’t even have the decency to blush.

 

“Come on, it’s an hour back to Beacon Hills and I know you want to stop at In-N-Out on the way there,” Sophie tugged Lauren’s hand again. She grabbed Lauren’s duffel from the ground, handing it to Derek who followed behind the pair dutifully. He was happy to see Sophie so happy, smiling in the slightest as he watched their conjoined hands swing between them a few paces ahead. “Baby, where’d we park the car?” She called over her shoulder.

 

“Third floor,” he called back, slinging the duffel over his shoulder.

 

“ _Baby, where’d we park the car?_ ” Lauren mocked quietly between the two of them, causing Sophie to roll her eyes comically and laugh, swinging their hands even higher.

 

“I’m so happy you’re here!” She said, pulling the blonde closer and swinging her arm around her shoulders. Her happiness was positively radiating off of her.

 

With a brief stop at In-N-Out – something they hadn’t done since their drive back from San Jose. Derek forgot how vocal Sophie could get when presented with a basket of animal-style fries and a Neapolitan shake.

 

He could see the joke twinkling in her eye – _is animal style your favorite?_

But there would be no animal jokes, no wolf puns or carefully crafted jabs, at least, not for the next four days. He was going to be doing his best, because he could very easily see Sophie slipping up. She loved the jokes too much.

 

“Okay, so when am I going to meet the whole crew? I need to see ‘em all, Stiles, Scott, Jackson, Isaac, baby Liam,” she listed off, making Derek laugh. He had an idea, but he’d love to hear exactly how much Lauren knew about him.

 

“The older boys are all going to be around for dinner, they have a lacrosse game this afternoon out of town, but Liam’s home all night,” Sophie explained.

 

“Stop, you’re such a Mommy,” Lauren laughed with a roll of her eyes.

 

“Baby, do you wanna drop us at mine and then we’ll head over to yours in time for dinner?” Sophie said, reaching up from the back seat where she was snuggled against Lauren’s side and giving the back of his neck a squeeze.

 

“Sure thing,” he agreed.

 

“I can’t wait for you to meet Nina,” Sophie giggled, “you’re going to love her.”

 

Lauren watched as her best friend crawled over the front seat of the big SUV Derek drove to kiss him soundly on the mouth.  
  
“See you tonight,” she kissed him once more on the cheek loudly before hopping out of the Suburban. “Okay, welcome to my humble abode!” Sophie smiled, unlocking her front door.

 

“It’s so cute,” Lauren gushed, stepping into the idyllic little cottage.

 

“Come on, I’ll give you the nickel tour,” Sophie insisted. After a full tour of the home and yard, they jumped on the all-white guest bed excitedly. She dragged Derek to four different home goods stores for the perfect guestroom bedding and she couldn’t be more pleased with the way it turned out.

 

“This room is too cute,” Lauren complimented, cradling Nina to her chest.

 

“I’m so happy you like it,” Sophie grinned, “I can’t believe you’re here, it seriously doesn’t seem real to have you in Beacon Hills.”

 

“It’s cute here, but I can see how it drives you nuts,” Lauren replied, tucking her feet under herself.

 

“Yeah, Daddy said the same thing,” Sophie agreed. “I don’t know, it has its pros and cons,” she shrugged.

 

“So, that Derek,” Lauren wiggled her eyebrows, making Sophie grin lasciviously.

 

“He certainly makes life here much more exciting,” Sophie said airily.

 

“Probably burns a lot of calories for you, too, huh?” She cackled, causing Sophie to erupt into giggles as well. “God, when was the last time you called _anyone_ baby?” She teased.

 

“I have no idea,” Sophie shrugged. “Longer than I care to admit,” she added. “Anyway, I can’t wait for you to meet the boys, you’re going to eat them up,” she insisted.

 

“My hopes are high,” Lauren laughed.

 

[][][]

 

Out of all the possible outcomes, Sophie was most surprised to see Stiles take the biggest shining to Lauren as they sat around the dinner table that night. Derek had grilled up some of his self-proclaimed famous ribs and though Sophie was used to it, she’d never get over the sheer volume of food he had to prepare for their group.

 

He had peppered her with questions all night about her work as an investigative journalist for the Denver Post.

 

Isaac was more curious about her than anything else, but kept his questions to himself as he watched her talk loudly with Stiles. If there was something Lauren had ever lacked, it was the ability to be subtle.

 

Derek had even built an enormous bonfire for the group that night. There was no school the next day or the following Monday, and they were all celebrating.

 

“So, you guys met before college?” Scott asked as he watched Isaac drop yet another marshmallow into the fire.

 

“We met a few weeks before freshman year started, submitted to be roommates and then joined the same sorority,” Sophie listed off.

 

“You can pick your roommate?” Jackson asked.

  
“Not always,” Sophie shook her head, “but we got lucky.”

 

Derek would lie if he said he didn’t fee a little put out sitting around the fire with Sophie so far away. He was used to her snuggled up in his lap, stealing his sweatshirt and running her fingernails over his scalp. Now, she and Lauren were cozied up under a blanket together flanked by Liam and Stiles. He prepared to get not get much alone time with her over the next four days as well.

 

He watched as Liam dropped his head on Sophie’s shoulder, tucking his feet under himself while staring off into the fire.

 

“Tired, babe?” Sophie asked, slinging an arm around his shoulder.

 

“A little,” he nodded. Lauren looked over discreetly, watching her best friend interact with the youngest of the group. It was surprising to her to see Sophie acting so motherly to the group of boys who obviously saw her as a mother figure. She knew some of them were less than blessed in the parent department, but it was still bizarre to see.

 

Sophie volunteered to call it quits as she noticed Lauren’s repetitive yawning once it hit past eleven that night.

 

That, and she noticed Jackson looking a little itchy, she knew he liked to shift and take a run when he could after a bonfire.

 

“See you tomorrow?” Derek asked, standing in the doorway of the house, his hands on Sophie’s hips while Lauren got in their car.

 

“I don’t know, I’d like to,” she replied. “Lauren and I are going to Modesto to do some shopping and maybe going to lay out in the backyard for a while. I’m going to let her pick the schedule tomorrow.” She explained. “I’d tell you to sneak by tonight but… you know I can’t be quiet.” She said, rocking up to her tiptoes and pressing a kiss to his lips.

 

“See you soon,” he frowned, watching form the doorway as she made her way to the car.

 

Back at Sophie’s the two were barely awake enough to make it into bed.

 

“My God, jet lag is a bitch,” Lauren sighed, wandering into Sophie’s room, dressed for bed.

 

“You must be pooped with the time change,” Sophie said, patting the space next to her on her bed, laughing as Lauren flopped down dramatically. “So, first impression?”

 

“It’s cute – almost too cute,” Lauren grinned, “you have your cute little house with your own classroom and your cute little boytoy,” she listed off. “It just seems too good to be true.”

 

“Gee, thanks Lolo,” Sophie rolled her eyes.

 

“I don’t mean to be a downer! I’m just saying,” she added. “There are definitely bigger problems to have than ‘my life is too perfect.’”

 

“I assure you, it’s not perfect.”

 

The next day, they both slept in until they couldn’t sleep anymore before getting ready for the day. Sophie was excited to show Lauren her classroom – something she had always romanticized about in college. It was at Beacon Hills Middle School that Lauren surprised Sophie with a glass red apple to sit perfectly on her desk.

 

“Shit, I think I left my phone charger at Derek’s,” Lauren frowned, digging through her purse as they drove to lunch. “I must have passed out so quick last night I didn’t notice when we got back to your house.”

 

“No worries, we can swing by,” Sophie shrugged. It was a short drive back to the big house and it didn’t look like anyone was home, the driveway empty of cars.

 

“Can we get in?” Lauren asked.

  
“Yeah, I know the garage code,” Sophie nodded.

 

“Soph, how much time do you actually spend in this house?” Lauren asked, prodding slightly as she watched Sophie type in the code. “Like do you spend more time here than at home?”

 

“No,” Sophie frowned, shaking her head. Then, she considered it. “No, not really,” fifty-fifty was a close guess, though. Now that she really thought about it, she did spend a _lot_ of time at Derek’s.

 

“Here, I think it’s by the patio,” Lauren said, feeling a little weird about walking through someone else’s house. Approaching the glass patio doors, Sophie saw it before Lauren, but Lauren definitely saw. “Holy shit!” She screamed, taking step back and slipping, falling to her ass. “Oh my God, Sophie! Look at those things!” She shouted.

 

Both Jackson and Derek stood in the backyard in their wolf forms, both freezing upon hearing Lauren’s screams. Soon after, Liam came bounding out of the tree line and Sophie had to stifle a giggle.

 

“Oh my God, another one!” Lauren gasped. “Oh my God, lock the door!” She said, scrambling to get off of the ground and flick the lock on the French doors. “Holy shit, are you seeing this?” She said, whirling around to look at Sophie who had painted a fairly convincing look of shock on her face.

 

“Those are huge!” She said, looking back at the blonde.

 

“What do we do? Why are they just standing there?” Lauren asked, “do you think they see us?”

 

“No, I bet they can’t,” Sophie shook her head. “It’s bright out there and dark in here, we’re totally safe,” she added.

 

“How are we going to get to the car?” Lauren asked, spotting her white iPhone cord plugged into the outlet near the glass doors.

 

“I mean, they’re going to run back out into the woods, they’re not going to come around to the front of the house,’ Sophie insisted.

 

“How can you be so sure?” Lauren asked, “those are wild animals.”

 

“Yeah, and they want to be in the wild, I’m sure they’ll run off into the woods,” Sophie said, assuredly. “We’ve seen them around before,” she added, trying to placate her best friend.

 

“You have?” Lauren asked, eyes growing even wider, “and we still had a bonfire out there last night?” She asked.

 

“They have never come up to anyone,” _lie,_ Sophie thought, recalling the shower after Derek spread dead deer blood on her neck. “They leave us alone.”

 

“I want out of here ASAP,” Lauren said, thoroughly freaked out.

 

“We can do that,” Sophie nodded, trying to hold in her laughter as she watched Lauren run from the garage door to the Touareg, jumping into the car and slamming her door shut behind her.

 

[][][]

 

That night, Lauren insisted they go out for drinks.

 

Sophie obliged because it had been a while since she indulged in a vodka soda and the two of them always had the best conversations after knocking a few back.

 

They got a little primped up, curled hair, dark lipstick and black dresses, finding a nice open booth at Katrina’s, a bar with a decently sized dance floor and just about the only place in Beacon Hills that appealed to them for the occasion.

 

“So, how’s Denver? What am I missing out on?” Sophie asked, sipping her second drink that night.

 

“I love Denver, I haven’t thought twice about moving back to Wisconsin,” Lauren replied honestly. “I’ve been seeing this guy, Trevor, he’s an architect, drives a Tesla and does this thing with his tongue that guaranteed gets me off every time,” she said happily.

  
“Wow, good for Trevor,” Sophie raised an eyebrow.

 

“He’s got this conference in Paris next month and he wants me to come with him,” she said dreamily.

 

“Wait, wait, wait, is this the guy that stood you up on your first date? And you FaceTimed me afterward mad as all hell?” Sophie asked, narrowing her eyes.

 

“Yes, he did in fact stand me up, but he had a good reason,” Lauren insisted, “his dog got really sick and swallowed a bunch of those laundry detergent pods and he had to rush her to the vet,” she finished. “It was so sad.”

 

“So what’s the catch?” Sophie asked, “good hair, good job, good car, good sex…” She trailed

 

“Why does there have to be a catch?” Lauren asked, taking a drink of her own martini.

 

“He can’t be perfect!” Sophie laughed, “everyone has their thing.”

 

“What, you mean like Derek being a townie?” Lauren countered.

 

“Derek is not a townie,” Sophie defended. “He’s very well traveled and still wants to do more traveling.”

 

“He’s going to live and die in Beacon Hills,” Lauren gave her a pointed look.

 

“There’s nothing wrong with liking the place you’re from,” Sophie replied. Lauren rolled her eyes. “Okay, then call me when you move to Europe,” she deadpanned.

 

“Oh my God, you love him!” Lauren accused, Sophie recoiled like she had been whipped.  
  
“Excuse me!” She said, taking another drink of her vodka soda.

 

“You do! You like being his little Susie homemaker and taking care of the boys and snuggling up to that six pack at night,” she said, growing excited.

 

“Would that be so terrible? Having a good man who cares about other people?” Sophie asked.

 

“Of course not, Soph,” Lauren said seriously, “it’ just… it’s not what you’ve always said you wanted, I guess.” She shrugged, “you wanted the big city and the fast-paced and the socializing.” Lauren listed off, “I just don’t want you to waste your best days playing housewife.”

 

Sophie nodded, taking another drink.

  
Was that still what she wanted?

 

Two hours and just short of eight drinks later, they were properly sloshed.

  
“Baby!” Sophie squealed into her phone when she heard Derek’s voice answer.

 

“Hi Soph,” Derek said smoothly. “Have we had fun at the bar?” He asked.

 

“All the fun,” she grinned, giggling at Lauren who mimed a blowjob, her tongue jabbing into the side of her mouth as she watched her friend on the phone. “So much fun that we cannot get home in my vehicle,” she finished. “Would you perhaps know of a taxi service that can get us back to my humble abode?”

 

“You’re at Katrina’s?” Derek asked, already reaching for his car keys.  


“Yessir,” she replied, “we’re the two cute girls out front.” She added.

 

“Hold tight, I’ll be there in ten minutes,” he explained.

 

“Derek’s coming to get us!” Sophie said happily into her phone but looking at Lauren.

 

“OhmyGod _so_ sweet,” Lauren said, shaking her head and putting a hand up to the sky.

 

“The sweetest,” Sophie agreed. “Seen you soon, baby,” she bid him adieu before hanging up.

 

“I wish Trevor was here,” Lauren frowned frumpily, her shoulders rolling forward as she said it.

  
“No! I get you all to myself!” Sophie insisted, placing her hands on Lauren’s shoulders.

 

“I have to share you with Derek!” Lauren pouted.  
  
“You don’t! We spent all day together, just us!” Sophie nearly cried. “I love you more than anything!”

 

“Yeah, but you’re gonna fuck him tonight and I’m going to have to hear it!” She whined.

 

“M’not! He’s gonna bring us home and the I’m gonna send him on his merry way back to the big house,” she insisted, petting Lauren’s blonde hair.

 

Upon seeing Derek, she really did want to fuck him – looking all warm and inviting in his Dad car, helping them both into their seats and making sure they were buckled.

 

The drive back to Sophie’s house was short and Derek had blackmail for years listening to the two of them talk and then attempt to sing along to the radio.

 

“’Kay! Goodnight Derek!” Sophie shouted loudly into Derek’s face as she glanced over her shoulder to see Lauren stumbling into the house. “M’gonna get her to her room and then you gotta ditch the car before you can sneak in, kay?” She listed off, causing Derek’s eyebrows to knit together in confusion. “I want you to spoon the fuck outta me tonight but I told Lolo you weren’t staying over, so you gotta sneak in.”

 

“Soph,” he said in a warning voice.

 

“Please,” she pouted, sticking out her lower lip. “Cuddle me,” she all but whimpered. Derek truly couldn’t say no.

 

“Okay,” he acquiesced. “Leave your back door open.”

 

She leaned forward, pressing her lips to his before hopping out of the Suburban and skipping into the house. After making sure Lauren got all of her makeup off and into bed, Sophie snuck off to her own bedroom, closing the door lightly behind her to see Derek already in her sheets down to his briefs.

 

“You look like‘n underwear model,” she said, eyes roaming his body. She shimmied out of her black dress, revealing a plain white bra and blue striped panties. He raised an eyebrow at her choice. “I didn’t think anyone was gonna see my undies!” She all but squealed. “I only wear cute stuff when I see you, I save all my good panties for you,” she explained. He was oddly endeared.

 

“Get over here,” he hooked his chin at her. She danced out of her bra and panties for a moment, reaching into her dresser buck-naked before grabbing a long t-shirt and pulling it over her head. She happily crawled into her little bed, plastering herself to his side and tucking her head under his chin. “Did you have fun tonight?” He asked.

 

“So much fun,” she nodded, thumb tweaking his nipple. “Even when Lauren got cranky and told me I’m gonna grow up t’be your barefoot and pregnant housewife.” She rambled. Derek all but froze.

 

“She said that, huh?” He asked.

  
“Yeah, said I was hypnotized by your dick and m’gonna end up living here forever,” Sophie yawned.

 

“That’s bad?” Derek asked, not feeling too guilty for questioning a drunk girl.

 

“S’long as you don’t lose that ass, I don’t care what happens,” she breathed, her eyelids heavy as cement. Derek smirked, curling his arm around her shoulder and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

 

“Night, Soph.”


	14. You're a Schmutz

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> got back early from my trip, so i thought i'd update! thanks to all who commented on chapter 13!!
> 
> have a great weekend!

Derek squeezed a teary-eyed Sophie’s hand as they drove home from the airport that Monday morning, having just dropped off Lauren at her terminal.

 

“You okay?” He asked, bringing their conjoined hands up to press a kiss to her knuckles.

 

“Yeah,” she sniffled, “just sad.”

  
“Want to go to In-N-Out? Would that make you feel better?” He asked lightly, making her choke out a sad giggle.

 

“Yeah,” she nodded. Derek dutifully drove them to In-N-Out and she was brightening up by the moment as she devoured her cheeseburger.

 

“Hey, at least you get to lose your boot this week,” he said, reminding her of her doctor’s appointment on Thursday. “That’s exciting, right?”

 

“I’m so ready for this thing to come off,” she said, turning her ankle over. “Can we burn it in a bonfire?” She asked hopefully.

 

“We can do a symbolic burning,” he compromised. “I don’t think burning that thing is the best idea,” he added. “Want me to take you back to yours?” He asked, knowing full well she wanted to come to his place.

 

“Can I bring Neener over to yours?” She asked, “I don’t wanna be alone.”

 

“Nina has to come?” He asked, stealing a sip of her shake.

 

“She’s just a baby, Derek, she needs her Mama,” she insisted. “She’ll be good,” she insisted. Derek knew he needed to let her bring Nina over if he wanted some alone time with her.

 

“Okay,” he sighed. “But the first time she poops in the house, she’s going in her crate,” he warned.

 

“She won’t,” Sophie insisted, leaning over and pecking his cheek as he focused on the road.

 

An hour and a half later, Derek regret saying Nina could come over. He laid back on his bed, already seeing little orange puffs of fur across his bedspread.

 

“Sophie,” he sighed, his hands flexing on her hips as she straddled him, Nina cradled in her arms.

 

“Baby, she can’t help that she has fur,” she replied, “surely you must know what that’s like.” He gave her a flat look. “ _Sorry_ , _Daddy_.” She bounced Nina in her arms gently, kissing between her ears as the kitten looked down at Derek. “ _Sorry I have fur, Daddy_.” Sophie set Nina down on the bedspread, watching as she carefully padded across the king size bed cautiously. “Look at her,” Sophie cooed as Nina turned back, approaching the couple and tip-toeing up on Derek and sticking her nose right into his ear.

 

His responding grumble made the kitten back up quickly enough that she stumbled over her own feet.

 

“Derek?” He could hear Isaac’s voice right outside his door.

 

“Yeah?” He asked.

  
“Can I come in?” The teen asked, “are you decent?”

 

“Come in!” Sophie laughed.

 

“Can we take Nina?” He asked, not blinking at the sight of Sophie straddling Derek on his bed.

 

“Of course, but be gentle,” Sophie agreed. The teen dashed in and scooped up Nina before dashing out. “See? They love her,” Sophie said, looking down at Derek.

 

Derek ran his hands up her back, rubbing it gently.

 

“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something,” she poked him in the chest.

 

“What’s that?” He asked, tucking his hands behind his head.

 

“I need you to be completely honest with me about your puppy powers,” she said, poking him again. “The boys make it seem like there’s a lot going on that I don’t know about.”

 

“What do you want to know?” He asked, “I’ve never intended to keep anything from you,” he insisted.

 

“When you… look like this,” she began, “what’s… different about you?”

 

“When I’m in my human form, I have heightened smell and hearing,” he began, “I can smell everything,” he added. “I can smell when someone’s distressed, when someone’s exceptionally happy or sad, I can tell when you’re… menstruating.” He watched as she scrunched her nose, “I can hear the boys downstairs right now and they can hear me,” he paused.

 

“ _Hi!_ ” Scott called from the main floor, causing Sophie to giggle.

 

“Sometimes I can hear you talking if you’re doing something when I get to your house,” he added. He watched as her pink lips pulled into a little scowl.

 

“Der, a lot of this seems like an invasion of privacy,” she frowned.

 

“I promise Soph, I don’t try to do it, I don’t have a lot of control over what other people do and I wouldn’t purposely invade your privacy,” he insisted. “I can take pain from other people,” he said, dragging his hand up her side. “It’s hard to explain without showing, but someday I will make sure you see it.”

 

“That’s going to take some getting used to,” she said quietly.

 

“I’m strong,” he began again, “and not just from working out, but my strength is from my supernatural tendency.”

 

“I’m fine with that,” she said quietly.

 

“I have a state that’s an… inbetween,” he said carefully. “Not quite as I look now and not quite a wolf,” he added.  
  
“What,” she gaped, looking down at him. “Derek, these are things I should know if we’re going to… do what we’re doing.”

 

“What are we doing, Sophie?” He asked. “Am I your boyfriend or am I just your hookup?” He asked.

 

“I’m not crazy about having this conversation when all the boys downstairs can hear us,” she frowned, “especially now that I know they can tell when I’m on my period,” she crossed her arms over her chest.

 

“They’re giving us privacy,” Derek reassured. “We’re okay at tuning one another out, it’s pretty easy to go crazy otherwise.”

 

“Do you want to be just a hookup?” She asked, looking as uncomfortable as he’d ever seen her. “Because I feel pretty invested,” she shrugged, feeling vulnerable.

 

“Of course I’m invested,” Derek grinned, squeezing her gently. “I don’t like it when you’re not here and neither do the boys,” he added. “I think about you all the time,” he said quietly. “I think we both know we've been more than just a hookup for a while now. I want you to be with me,” he finished.

 

Sophie felt giddy, leaning down and kissing him soundly.

 

“This is also the most I’ve ever felt _in a relationship_ in my life,” he laughed, “I’m putting a pool in my backyard just because I thought it would make you spend more time here.”

 

“I knew it!” Sophie laughed, “you’re such a schmutz!”

 

“Will you be with me anyway? Even though I’m a schmutz?” He asked.

 

“I guess,” she nodded. “How does this affect your wolfy side?” She replied.

 

“It doesn’t now, it’s not something we have to talk about for a long time,” he assured her.

 

“Well, I look forward to that talk,” she said before kissing him.

 

[][][]

 

It didn’t take long for news to spread across Beacon Hills that Sophie McLaren, the new girl in town, and Derek Hale were officially together. Sophie wasn’t sure if she was blind to the attention before, but now she noticed when people stared at she and Derek as they held hands and walked about downtown on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

 

Sophie reluctantly text Lauren to tell her she and Derek were official, but she was relieved when her best friend responded with a resounding ‘ _yay!_ ’ The most important thing to Lauren was that Sophie was with someone who treated her well and she knew firsthand that Derek treated her like royalty.

 

“Feel good?” He asked as she saddled up to his side, wrapping herself around his bicep as they walked down to Ziggy’s Diner for dinner. Isaac and Liam were going to be meeting them shortly.

 

She was the definition of footloose and fancy-free since she got her boot off for good yesterday. She drove from the doctor’s office right out of town to get to a Sephora for self-tanner and exfoliator.

 

Her legs were as close in color as they could get for it now being near the end of November. Tomorrow was Turkey Day and she and Derek were going to be cooking the big dinner of which a great deal had been prepared earlier that day. They were treating themselves to dinner out to get away from all of the food in the house that they weren’t allowed to eat yet.

 

“We’re here!” Isaac smiled as he dumped himself into the booth across from Sophie and Derek, Liam scooting in beside him.

 

Sophie marveled at how well Liam was doing after more than two months with Derek in the big house.

 

“Hungry?” Sophie asked, sliding them both menus.

 

“Starving,” Liam nodded, opening up his menu.

 

“We’re going to have enough food tomorrow to feed a hundred hungry wolves,” she grinned. “Don’t eat breakfast,” she laughed, leaning into Derek’s side. He confidently tossed his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his side.

 

It was comforting for Isaac and Liam to see the two of them finally make it official; it provided a sense of security they weren’t necessarily looking for. Their family felt just a little more complete.

 

“It’s too bad Melissa has to work,” Derek commented, watching the two teens at the table light up as the waitress set down a big basket of onion rings for them to nibble on before they all placed their orders.

 

“I was thinking we could swing by the hospital and bring her a plate,” Sophie said, looking up at Derek.

 

“That’s a good idea,” he agreed.

 

“Derek, I need you to sign a permission slip for baseball,” Liam spoke up inbetween onion rings.

 

“For what?” He asked, taking a drink of his Coke.

 

“We’re going to La Jolla for a tournament next weekend, leaving Friday morning and come back Monday night,” Liam explained.

 

“La Jolla?” Sophie asked, “that’s a long drive,” she frowned.

 

“We’re getting a charter bus,” Liam explained, “not driving ourselves.”

  
“What if we went?” She asked excitedly, “we could go and vacation a little bit and spend time with Liam.” She didn’t see the look exchanged between Liam and his Alpha.

 

“I think we should hang back,” Derek said, squeezing her hand in his. “Liam doesn’t want us hovering over his shoulder while he’s with the team.”

 

“I don’t hover,” Sophie frowned.

 

“I want you guys to come to our lacrosse game,” Isaac spoke up. “We have a big game on Friday night.”

 

“You sure you’ll be fine with the team?” Sophie asked Liam, a little frown on her face. “I could go to La Jolla and Derek could go to the lacrosse game.”

 

“Baby, he’ll be fine,” Derek reassured. “That’s the fun of away tournaments… no adults.” He grinned.

 

“Mmm,” Sophie conceded, popping an onion ring into her mouth.

 

The next morning, Sophie was helping Liam pack a duffel as Derek kept one eye on the turkey in the oven and the other on Nina who was dead set on tearing cellophane from dishes that sat on the dining room table.

 

“No, no, no,” he scolded, picking her up from the dining room chair and setting her on the ground, little angry meows coming from her mouth the whole time. “No eating the cellophane,” he wagged a finger in her face with a stern look.

 

Upstairs, Sophie was eyeing up the tornado that was Liam’s room with a critical eye as he handed her things to toss into the laundry. It might have been early, but the sooner things got washed, the easier packing would be in a few days.

 

“Are you sure you don’t want us to come?” She asked for what seemed like the hundredth time since he mentioned leaving.

 

“I’m sure,” Liam nodded, “it’ll be fun to be with the team.”

 

“Okay,” she sighed, “I’ll stop asking. Is this everything you want washed?” She asked. “Do you want me to maybe take care of some of the other things in here?”

 

“No, that stuff should be fine,” he shrugged.

 

“I’ll wash and fold it and pack it up,” she began, “everything else, we’ll pop into the bag on Thursday.”

  
Downstairs, Derek just finished carving the turkey before once again removing Nina from the table.

 

“Okay, everything’s ready!” He called mostly for Sophie and Stiles’ benefit – everyone else could hear him just fine.

 

All sitting around the table, Sophie smiled as she took in the scene in front of her. Derek, Stiles, Isaac, Liam and Jackson passed dishes around and laughed like this was exactly where they were meant to be. Of course, she’d love for Scott to be there, but he was making an impression at his new girlfriend’s house for the holiday. Sheriff Stilinski was, as usual, at the station just in case. They’d be making a stop there shortly after the hospital following their meal.

 

Sophie felt incredibly at home and squeezed Derek’s hand in hers before leaning over to kiss him softly.

 

“Happy Thanksgiving,” she smiled.

 

“Happy Thanksgiving,” he replied back.

 

Later that night, as everyone was miserably full on leftovers and groaning as they laid around the family room, Sophie was contently in Derek’s lap with Nina against her.

 

“Soph,” Derek frowned as Nina began to knead his shoulder while her little body hung over Sophie’s.

 

“Aww, she likes you, Der,” Sophie grinned. “Kitties do that when they trust you,” she explained.

 

“I don’t think that’s true,” Derek frowned.

 

“Deal with it Derek, you’re a Dad now,” Stiles teased, earning himself a harsh glare.

 

“Be nice to the baby,” she said, petting down Nina’s little back and to the end of her tail. “Huh, Neenie? Do you love Daddy?” She cooed to the kitten whose eyes had floated shut as she continued to knead Derek’s t-shirt on his shoulder. “She loves her Daddy,” Sophie grinned, tilting her head up and kissing the underside of Derek’s jaw.

 

“We all saw you give her a little nibble of turkey, Derek,” Jackson grinned, egging Sophie on.

 

“Aww, you do love the baby,” Sophie cooed. Derek wasn’t sure if his cheeks were turning red from embarrassment of annoyance.

 

“One more word and no one gets leftovers.”

 

[][][]

 

It was late on Thanksgiving night when Sophie and Derek finally crawled into his bed after delivering a few plates of food to the police department as well as one for Melissa who was touched by the gesture.

 

“Too tired to get changed,” Sophie mumbled, flopping back on the mattress. Derek dutifully walked over to the bed where her legs hung off the edge, spotting another little area with orange fur. He gave her maxi skirt a firm tug off of her body before peeling her panties down her legs. Walking over to his dresser, he grabbed a pair of his briefs and slid them up to her hips.

 

“Arms up,” he commanded, watching as she lazily complied. He got her down to her skin on her upper half, helping her into one of his soft v-necks that he noticed he was slowly running out of before tucking her under the covers.

 

“Do you think Nina is okay with Isaac for the night?” She asked tiredly, as he stripped down to his underwear and joined her under the blankets.

 

“I’m sure he’s taking good care of her,” Derek assured, scooting right up behind her, tangling their legs together and looping an arm around her waist.

 

“I like when we wear matching undies,” she smiled contently with her eyes closed. “We spent our first holiday together,” she turned in his hold, looking up at him. “Happy Thanksgiving,” she pecked his lips gently.

 

“Happy Thanksgiving,” he replied, a tired smile on his face. “Does that mean Halloween didn’t count?” He added, a little snarl on his lips.

 

“All we did for Halloween was eat an entire bag of candy pumpkins and watch The Conjuring,” she replied “next year, I’m getting us a couple’s costume.”

 

“Next year, huh?” He asked, eyes floating shut again.

 

“Yeah, next year.”


	15. Home for the Holidays

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> updating due to pure boredom. let me know if you liked this christmas chapter :)

Derek now had a designated spot he liked to park at in the Sacramento International Airport parking garage. Miraculously, Sophie’s luggage arrived before she did and he couldn’t help the scowl that formed on his face as he saw a second rolling suitcase with her name come down the conveyor. She certainly only left for Miami with one suitcase and her carry-on.

 

He stood with her bags and bouquet of white roses near the bottom of the escalator.

 

Sophie wiggled excitedly upon seeing Derek as she made her way down the escalator. She wanted to run down the steps to him, but was barricaded in by a group of families in front of her.

 

“Derek,” exhaled, dropping her purse and practically leaping on him when she was close enough.

 

Man, he missed her.

 

“Merry Christmas, baby,” he said, kissing her cheek and hugging her tightly.

 

“Merry Christmas,” she grinned back, pressing her lips to his.

 

“Missed you,” he mumbled against her lips.

 

“Are we pathetic or what?” She sighed dreamily.

 

“These are for you,” He said, holding up the bouquet. That got him another kiss. She insisted on pulling one of her own suitcases so that they each had a free hand to hold one another’s.

 

“How’s your Dad?” He asked as hey dropped into his seat beside her. She instantly reached for his hand after he started the car.

 

“Daddy’s good,” she said, dropping her sunglasses back over her eyes. “I don’t know, I worry about him being there alone.” She frowned slightly. “I’m worried he’s going to be lonely.”

 

“That’s a possibility,” Derek agreed. “He could also maybe like the time alone?” He suggested, trying to put a positive spin on it.

 

“Yeah, maybe,” she said quietly, rubbing her thumb across his hand as they made their way back to Beacon Hills. “How is the baby? Did she miss me?” She asked, looking over at Derek hopefully.

 

“She is ready to see you and go home,” he assured, making her laugh. Nina joined the Hale household for the last four days as Sophie spent time in Miami. For the most part, she was well behaved, but no matter what, she always managed to wake Derek up each morning – and much earlier than he planned. He was sure the kitten got a kick out of being his alarm clock.

 

“Aww, you loved watching her,” Sophie teased, leaning over and kissing his cheek. “She loves her Daddy,” she squeezed his hand in hers. “Did Santa treat you well?” She asked, crossing her legs in her pilfered Beacon Hills Basketball sweatpants that Derek outgrew years ago.

 

“Santa did a very good job this year,” he nodded.

 

“What did he bring you in his sack of goodies?” She asked, checking her phone.

 

“You’ll see when we get home,” he grinned.

 

Thankfully she didn’t have to wait long. There was hardly any traffic on the highway and Sophie rolled her eyes as they approached the long driveway of the Hale house.

 

“You didn’t,” she laughed, seeing the vintage car parked in the driveway, just beside his Camaro.

 

“I didn’t,” Derek insisted, “Santa did.”

 

“A mustang?” She asked as he parked the Suburban beside it, effectively filling the width of the driveway.

 

“It’s a 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350,” he listed off, walking around the car and opening her door for her.

 

“Where are the boys?” She asked, not seeing any of the teens’ cars in the driveway.

 

“Scott and Stiles are at Melissa’s,” Derek began to list off, “Jackson is at his parents because his grandparents are in town – Isaac is out with his new Christmas present and Liam is tagging along.”

 

“His new Christmas present?” She asked, tilting her head.

 

“You’ll see it when he gets home,” Derek assured.

 

“So what you’re saying is we have the house to ourselves?” She asked with a tilt of her head as he helped her step down from the Suburban.

  
“It would appear that way,” he said, pulling her body into his. He dipped his head down, kissing her again before taking her hand in his and leading her into the house.

 

“My suitcases,” she looked back at his car over her shoulder.

 

“We’ll get them later,” he said. The moment she stepped out of her shoes, he scooped her up into his arms, carrying her like a newlywed bride up the stairs.

 

“Mm, I missed these muscles,” she smiled, her fingers knotted behind his neck. Derek laughed, happily trudging up the stairs to his room where he unceremoniously dropped her onto the bed.

 

“Have I said that I missed you?” He asked, pulling his shirt over his head.

 

“You may have mentioned it,” she grinned, shedding her own sweatshirt and reached for him with grabby hands. “Get down here,” she insisted. He helped her pull off her sweatpants and panties, crawling on top of her before slanting his mouth over hers again. “I love your body,” she said openly, running her hand down his back. “I feel so good when I’m with you,” she added.

 

He kissed her tenderly again, reaching down and holding himself as he slowly pushed into her. Sophie’s gasp and the way she clamped her hand down on his back told him everything he needed to know. They both felt home.

 

“Baby,” she breathed, hooking her arms around the back of his shoulders as he stroked deep and long into her. “Fuck, Derek,” she gasped.

 

“Sophie,” he echoed, panting into her neck before pressing his lips there. She whimpered when he pressed his fingers to her clit, rubbing it agonizingly slow. With the urgency and their time apart, it didn’t take long for either of them to finish.

 

Derek laid his head down on her chest, still seated deeply within her as she ran her hands through his hair.

 

“Missed you,” he mumbled into her skin. “I don’t sleep the same without you here,” he added, rolling his head to the side and casually tweaking her nipple with his thumb. Her hands cradled his head, her body still coming down from it’s high.

 

“I love the feeling of you inside of me,” she admitted. “Is it too soon to say that I really dislike being separated from you?”

 

“No,” he replied, pressing a kiss to her collarbone. They both relaxed comfortably in silence for a beat. “M’gonna clean you up,” he warned her, sitting up and carefully pulling out, watching as the evidence of their orgasms leaked out of her sex. “Don’t move,” he advised. He doused a washcloth in warm water, walking back to the bed and slowly wiping between her legs, grinning as she whimpered.

 

“If college Sophie saw me now, having sex without a condom, she’d hit me,” Sophie laughed, covering her face.

 

“You’re the only person I’ve gone bare with,” he said admittedly, tossing the washcloth into his laundry hamper.

 

“Really? Wow, I’m honored,” she pressed a hand to her chest, squealing as he threw a pillow at her. She caught it with a laugh, hugging it to her body. “How much longer do you think we have until the boys get back?”

 

“Hour, maybe hour and a half,” he advised.

 

“Cuddle me?” she asked, looking incredibly tempting with her pout and her hair fanned across the pillows. Just as he was about to crawl back into the bed, he paused, hearing the demanding ‘meow’ at the door. He knew if he didn’t grab her, she’d meow the whole time. “My baby!” She said excitedly as Derek grabbed Nina from the hallway. When he returned to the bed, Sophie was tucked under the blankets, looking ethereal as ever and waiting for him.

 

“All yours,” he said pointedly. Sophie cradled the kitten into her chest, pressing kisses all over her fur as Derek slipped in behind her in bed. “Family cuddle,” Sophie grinned, tilting her head back to meet Derek’s lips in a peck.

 

“Hey,” he frowned, wanting a proper kiss.

 

“Hold on, let Neener get settled,” she replied, watching as the kitten twirled around before finding the right spot and nestling in to fall asleep.

 

“Hey,” he demanded again.

 

“Don’t be a jealous puppy,” she grinned, tilting her head back to let him kiss her full on.

 

“Not a puppy,” he reminded.

 

[][][]

 

“Derek, you didn’t,” Sophie gaped as she watched a new, black Volkswagen Touareg pull into the driveway that afternoon as Isaac and Liam arrived home. They cuddled for a little while before realizing they were both quite hungry and requested to have the boys bring something home to eat. That, and Derek knew Isaac would jump at the chance to drive his new car anywhere.

 

“He needed a car to get around and he loves yours so much,” Derek shrugged. “And this way they don’t need to call me every few hours to get from place to place.”

 

“You’re a good guy, Derek,” she shook her head with a laugh, “maybe too good.”

 

“Sophie!” Isaac burst into the house, “did you see my new car?” He asked, so excited he was practically shaking.

 

“Santa was good to you!” She grinned as the teen hugged her tightly. Liam quietly approached Sophie and let her pull him into a hug of his own. “Good to see you, Li,” she smiled. “How was your Christmas?” She asked.

 

“Good,” he nodded, “I got a new phone and a season pass to the batting cages.”

 

“That’s exciting!” She smiled. “I still have to give Nina her presents,” she mused out loud, making Derek roll his eyes as he leaned over the bags of food on the countertop. “If you keep rolling your eyes, then you’re going to get a lump of coal,” she warned.

 

It was hard for Sophie to admit she felt more at home flopped out on the couch in Derek’s family room with the boys and a box of lo-mein in her lap than she did in Miami. Derek warmed her bare feet in one hand as he ate his beef and broccoli in the other while Liam picked the movie for that night: _National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation_.

 

“My Dad used to love this movie,” Liam said from the couch adjacent to Sophie’s seat.

 

“Have you seen it before?” Sophie asked lightly, Derek watching on carefully.

 

“Kinda, he would put it on and I would nap with him,” Liam replied.

 

“That’s a really nice memory, Liam,” she smiled, reaching over and giving his arm a squeeze. “Hold on to that one,” she advised. He gave her a little smile before taking a bite of his dinner.

 

Before Sophie left for the holidays, she slipped each of the boys a $100 gift card to the big mall in Modesto. From the looks of Isaac and Liam’s new clothes, they may have already used it up at the after Christmas sales.

 

She figured they must have had a good last few days with their new clothes, phones and driving around in Isaac’s new car.

 

“Sophie what did you get for Christmas?” Isaac asked, plucking up an egg roll from the coffee table where there was an array of appetizers for them to pick from.

 

“I got a beautiful scarf and a new easel from my Dad, he knows I’ve wanted to start painting more,” she explained, “and he also got me a new mace keychain,” she laughed. “Lauren sent Nina and I matching sweaters and some other things,” he added, her eyes darting to Derek briefly.

 

“You got matching sweaters to wear with Nina?” Liam laughed as he cradled the kitten to his chest, looking down at her orange fur as she flicked his tail around his chin.

 

“She’s got to look good like her Mommy,” Sophie shrugged, taking another bite of her dinner.

 

Later that evening, Derek turned the lights on the Christmas tree off before following Sophie upstairs after the boys went off to bed.

 

“Soph?” He called out, not seeing her in the bedroom.

 

“In here!” She called back from the bathroom. He walked into the bathroom in time to see her step into a still-filling bathtub.

 

“It smells really good in here,” he commented, taking in the sight of the rose-colored water in his tub.

 

“I bought some bath bombs when I went home,” she smiled, resting her head against the ledge of the tub with her hair piled high on top of her head. “C’mon,” she wiggled her fingers. “Let me scrub you up.” He couldn’t say no to that.

 

Pulling his sweater up over his head and stripping down, he carefully stepped into the tub, sitting down and settling between her legs, resting his back to her chest. He let his eyes float shut as she wrapped her legs around his hips loosely.

 

“This is nice,” he said quietly as she rubbed a warm washcloth all over him.

 

“Daddy asked about you a lot when I was home,” she commented, running the cloth over his chest.

 

“Oh yeah? Good things? He asked, dropping his head back to her shoulder and melting into the water.

  
“Wants to know how you’re treating me, how the landscaping is going… if you’ve gotten any more speeding tickets,” she finished with a laugh. Derek wasn’t surprised at all to hear the detective had looked up his driving record.

 

“I haven’t had a single ticket since Isaac came to live with me, just so you know,” he said smartly, reaching down and lightly pinching her thigh, making her scream with a laugh.

 

“I know, I know,” she conceded.

 

“And what did you tell him about the other things?” He asked, lazily tracing a finger up her thigh toward her knee.

 

“That the landscaping business was going really well, but it slows down a bit over the holidays,” she began. “And that you treat me like a queen,” she added, kissing his neck. “That you mow the lawn, cook me dinner, bring me lunch at work, carry my shopping bags, take me to my doctor’s appointments,” she listed off. “And you even watch the baby when I go out of town,” she accentuated with another kiss.

 

“It wouldn’t be so bad if she wasn’t such a daredevil,” Derek mumbled, “The amount of times I catch her trying to jump off the top of the tree or from countertops… trying to eat things that are not food,” he listed off.

 

“But you kept her safe,” Sophie kissed his neck again. They both enjoyed the warm water and Derek enjoyed his thorough wipe down before he got out of the tub, wrapping a towel around his waist before holding one open for her as well.

 

“I have a Christmas gift for you,” she said with a little smile as they curled up together on the bed after sliding on some pajamas.

  
“I have something for you, too,” he replied. She reached around, rooting through her purse before pulling out a little envelope while he opened up his bedside table and grabbed a slim box.

 

“You first,” she insisted, handing over the envelope. Derek slowly opened it, eyes scanning the business card he pulled from the package.

 

“Hale Landscaping…” he read off.

 

“It’s just a logo now,” she explained. “My friend from high school has a really successful marketing firm in Miami and she designed this for me when I was home,” she smiled.

 

Derek looked down at it again, the design was clean and simple and exactly perfect.

 

“She also sent me digital copies in different sizes and shades for when you have a website or for decals for your truck or maybe lawn signs…” she listed off.

 

“Sophie, this is amazing,” he said quietly, “thank you so much.” He said far too seriously.

 

“I’m glad you like it,” she beamed back, happily taken by surprise as he urgently kissed her.

 

“I love it, thank you,” he repeated.

 

“Merry Christmas, Der,” she grinned.

 

“Open yours,” he insisted, setting his card and envelope off to the side on his nightstand. She pulled at one end of the ribbon holding the slim box shut before pulling it off completely and opening the velvet box.

 

Inside laid a dainty silver necklace with a little charm no bigger than a dime depicting a howling wolf.

 

“Oh Derek, it’s perfect!” She grinned, handling the thin chain carefully. “Put it on me,” she said, handing it over to him and twisting her hair up and out of the way. He fumbled over the small clasp with his fingers, but got it fastened and watched as she dropped her hair.

 

The little wolf sat comfortably just below her neck in line with her collarbone.

 

“I love it,” she said, placing her hand over it. “Thank you,” she leaned forward to peck his lips.

 

“Merry Christmas.”


	16. Black Eye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> decided to update for my birthday :) next chapter won't be up till friday!
> 
> have a great tuesday everyone!

Sophie slowly woke up, content as could be and feeling good as she lounged in Derek’s arms.

 

Winter Break was finally over, but thankfully, the returning week was short. She took a moment, snuggling further down deep into her blankets and back into Derek’s arms as he continued sleeping.

 

They stayed over at her house the night before – she always liked to see him squeeze into her little full mattress instead of the king he had in his bedroom. She was impossibly warm and comfortable and wasn’t keen on getting out of bed anytime soon.

 

“M’awake,” Derek muttered, feeling her move around in the slightest.

 

“Go back to sleep,” she said, burrowing down and bringing her blankets up even higher over her shoulders.

 

“Time is it?” He asked blearily.

 

“Early,” she replied, “too early to get out of bed. I’m in heaven,” she sighed.

  
“Are you?” He asked.

 

“The only thing that could make this better… is if I had some cookie dough,” she mumbled, turning in his embrace and pressing her face into his chest.

 

“Getting to be the twentieth,” he pointed out.

 

“Then that explains the want for cookie dough,” she laughed, knowing her period was approaching.

 

“Want me to go down on you before it hits?” He asked with a wiggle of his eyebrow, despite his eyes still being closed. He laughed as she slapped his chest.

 

“Honestly, that’s one thing I’m looking forward to about having kids one day – not getting my period for nine months,” she laughed. Derek reached down, lacing their fingers together and bringing her hand up to his mouth to press a kiss there.

 

“You think much about having kids? Know how many you want? What you want to name them?” He asked.

 

She propped her chin up to look at him.

 

“I think about it, it’s still a few years away for me, but I’d like two – three at the very most,” she began. “I always wanted siblings when I was little.”

 

“I loved growing up with siblings,” Derek replied. “I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have a house without a bunch of kids running around.”

 

“It’s probably worth it to have more than one just for the sheer fact of not having someone roll their eyes every time you tell them you’re an only child,” Sophie laughed. “I’ve always caught so much flack for that.”

 

“I believe that,” Derek replied, knowing he had probably said something along those lines to others in the past. “Boys, girls?” He asked, tangling a hand in her hair and rubbing her scalp softly.

 

“One of each,” she acquiesced. “One little princess and one little prince,” she added. “I used to think all girls would be nice, but spending as much time as I have with the guys has changed that a little bit. What about you?” She asked.

 

“Probably girls,” he replied. “I grew up with sisters and it was the best, plus I know the guys are always going to be pretty close by,” he added.

 

“What makes you say that?” she asked.

 

“When you’re in a pack,” he began, “it’s hard to be away from your packmates,” he described.

 

“Have you met other packs?” She asked, running a hand back and forth over his chest.

 

“I have,” he nodded, “a few others that live in California, some that live in Nevada.”

 

“You said you were born a wolf, does that mean your babies will be wolves, too?” Sophie tilted her head, resting her head against his shoulder.

 

“It depends,” he began, “both of my parents were wolves and all of my siblings were, too. Liam’s Mother was a wolf, but his Dad wasn’t. If only one parent is a wolf, it’s a fifty-fifty toss up. If both parents are, it’s like a ninety-percent chance.”

 

 _In this case it will be a fifty-fifty, because you’re going to be the mother of my children_ , Derek thought to himself.

 

“If you had to pick, would you want your kids to have that gene?” Sophie was full of questions.

 

“It’s hard to say, it’s the only life I’ve ever known,” he began. “I know it improved Scott and Isaac’s lives significantly, but sometimes I envy those who don’t have to deal with some of the things we do. On the other hand, I know that my family and I are safe here in Beacon Hills. There are no hunters, no immediate threats, our worries are typically those of any other person here. If I had kids who were wolves that moved away eventually, I think I’d drive myself crazy with worry.”

 

“Daddy Derek, already nervous for his future babies,” she soothed him.

 

“My parents built an amazing home for us, gave us everything we could ever want and did anything for us to keep us safe – I only hope I can do the same thing for my kids,” he replied.

 

“You’re going to be a great Dad, Derek,” she smiled softly. “You already are.”

 

“I keep in touch with other packs in the area pretty often, just to make sure we’re all doing well,” he began. “They regularly send out emails checking to see if others have seen their kids who have run off or if someone’s able to take in a baby that has been abandoned,” he added. A rush of air left Sophie’s lungs at the idea of parents getting rid of a child like that – werewolf or not.

 

“Sophie?” They both startled softly hearing a voice call from the main floor.

 

“Scott?” She called back, a little confused. The two adults leapt out of bed and started pulling on clothes as they head footsteps through the house, including a set coming up the stairs. Scott poked his head into her bedroom shortly after she tightened the drawstring on her sweats.

 

“We got hungry,” he said innocently. “Will you make us breakfast?”

 

“I will,” she laughed, “give me a few minutes, okay?”

 

“”Kay,” he smiled that big, whole milk smile before disappearing from the room.

 

“They seriously got in a car and drove over here to see if you’d make them breakfast,” Derek fought the stifling urge to roll his eyes. “Guess I’ll have to save my breakfast for later,” he leaned down, kissing her cheek and giving her butt a pat before exiting the bedroom.

 

She loved when he got cheeky with her.

 

[][][]

 

Sophie’s heels pounded down the hallway at Beacon Hills Middle School, walking with great purpose as she approached the eighth-grade wing. She hardly ever ventured away from her sixth-grade area in the exception she stopped at the Coca-Cola vending machine near the gym.

 

Passing the eighth-grade area, she arrived at reception, walking right past the administrator’s office to Principal Dewberry’s office.

 

Stepping into the room without preamble, she stood behind Derek who was seated, placing a hand on his shoulder before her eyes settled on Liam who was nursing a black eye.

 

“I need to be brought up to speed,” she all but demanded, eyes flickering to the other teenage boy in the room accompanied by his own Dad.

 

“There was an argument in Mr. Warton’s class this afternoon that turned physical between Mr. Dunbar and Mr. Holden,” Dewberry explained, clearly agitated at conversations that must have taken place before she arrived.

 

Thankfully, her second class had been dismissed shortly after she got a text from Derek saying Liam got punched in class today.

 

“And what was the nature of this argument? What was it regarding?” She pressed, hand flexing on Derek’s shoulder.

 

“I was just joking,” the teenage boy scoffed, rolling his eyes.

 

“Be quiet, Tanner,” his father snapped.

 

“It’s not that big a deal,” he scowled in return.

 

“You said my parents killed themselves because they were so embarrassed to have me for a kid,” Liam spat over his shoulder. Sophie’s eyes snapped to the teen, nostrils flaring as she took in his appearance and held in a smirk as she noticed his bruised cheekbone and split eyebrow. Derek bristled at the words even though he heard it come from Liam’s mouth previously.

 

“Okay, so what’s the resolve here?” Sophie said, trying her best to take the high road.

 

“We are going to be transferring both Tanner and Liam to separate classes,” Dewberry began, causing Sophie to put her hand up and pause him.

 

“And why is it that Liam needs to be transferred?” She asked, “am I missing something?” She asked. Derek placed his hand over hers on his shoulder.

 

“In all fairness,” Tanner’s father attempted to interject.

 

“ _In all fairness_ , it doesn’t seem that your son possesses the restraint or common sense to keep his tasteless jokes to himself,” she spat sharply. “I’m certain we can find a teacher that will take Tanner onto their roster, but I don’t see why Liam has to be moved from his friends as well, he’s not the aggressor here.” She finished.

 

Principal Dewberry inhaled and exhaled slowly. He was used to dealing with passionate parents, but he was new to a guardian also being one of his teachers. On the other hand, he sided with Liam who didn’t ask for this attention.

 

“Aggressor is a bit strong of a word,” Tanner’s Dad tried again. “Tanner has bruises, too.”

 

“Aggressor is the word I’m using unless we plan to have authorities involved, in which case, it will turn into assailant,” she replied. “If you’d like to leave the case up to a court of public opinion that we can _absolutely_ go that route.”

 

Mr. Holden paused pregnant.

 

“I’m sure Liam staying in his class will be just fine and Tanner will adjust to a new one,” he bowed out. “We will be having a very long and frank discussion,” he added, looking at his son.

 

“I will be talking to Mrs. Heath about having you transfer and you’ll report there Monday morning,” Dewberry explained. “If anyone has any questions, please don’t hesitate to call or email this weekend.”

 

“Come on, Liam, let’s go home.” She said, squeezing his shoulder. Liam and Derek got up from their seats and followed Sophie dutifully, each of them feeling as if they were in trouble as her body radiated anger.

 

When they got to the parking long where Derek parked his Camaro next to Sophie’s Touareg, she took Liam’s face in her hands.

 

“Are you hurt?” She asked, eyeing his face carefully.

 

“It’s not bad,” he replied as Derek came to her side.

 

“It looks nasty,” she frowned.

 

“It will heal pretty quick and disappear before tonight,” Derek said quietly.

 

“I’m sorry that kid is such a jerk, Liam,” she sighed, “some people just don’t have a brain and what he said is completely not okay,” she said vehemently.

 

“I know,” he nodded, not quite making eye contact.

 

“If he says anything else to you, you call us ASAP,” Derek said, placing his hand on the small of Sophie’s back.

 

“I will,” he nodded again.

 

“Come on, let’s head home and chill out,” she insisted. “I’m gonna stop by my house and pick up Nina, then I’ll meet you at home – Derek’s house,” she corrected.

 

Swinging by her house to grab Nina, she changed from her work clothes into a pair of leggings and a sweatshirt with her sorority letters. It was officially cold in Beacon and she only wanted to wear warm clothes all day and night.

 

“I wanted to strangle that little shit,” she huffed as she sat on Derek’s work bench, watching him putter around in the garage, replacing the blade on a lawnmower. “What an absolute little pissant.”

 

Liam was up in his room with Nina, getting his homework done for the weekend. He had an away game on Sunday as part of a season-long tournament and didn’t want to do it on the bus.

 

“I’ll never understand people who say things like that, he’s old enough to know better,” Derek agreed.

 

“’put his hands on my kid like that, I’ll ruin that kid’s academic career,” she muttered mostly to herself.

 

“You were good as Mama Bear in there,” he said, brushing his hands off and approaching her perch.

 

“I can’t believe kids are that mean,” she said, exasperated. “Liam has enough shit to deal with and he’s been doing so well, I don’t want this to set him back.”

 

“It’s not going to set him back,” Derek insisted, setting his hands on her thighs. “He and I had a talk before you came down and he knows that what Tanner did was wrong and what he said wasn’t true.” Sophie sighed, dropping her head forward to rest against his chest.

 

“Either way, it’s going to bring up a lot of shit for him,” she muttered.

 

“I know,” Derek agreed, “but the best thing we can do is just be there for him.” He frowned before admitting – “Nina seems to help him a bit, too.”

  
“What was that?” She asked, a little grin on her face.

 

“You heard me,” he grumbled.

 

“Mm, I don’t think I did,” she giggled, looking up at him and placing her hands on his chest.

 

“You know he loves Nina,” he rolled his eyes.

 

“Everybody loves Neener,” she replied.

 

“You know what I love?” He asked, deflecting.

 

“What?” She asked, running her hands up his chest and over his shoulders.

 

“When you get all angry and protective over the boys and stomp into that room ready to kick ass,” he said, hands still on her thighs and a genuine smile on his face.

 

“That doesn’t surprise me,” she laughed. “You’re so broody,” she accused.

 

“I’m not broody!” He defended.

 

“Baby, you totally are,” she said, laughing at his poor attempt.

 

“My wolf is definitely broody, I have a little more strength than that,” said Derek. “Not ready for babies for a few more… months.” He finished, making her snort.

 

“Come on, Puppy, I’m kind of hungry and I wanna sit in your lap,” she pat his leg before hopping off the bench.

 

Liam got to pick out what was for dinner, so the four members of the always-at-Derek’s group settled into the couches with plates full of pizza. The youngest in the group curled up alone on the loveseat with Nina who watched his pizza very carefully.

 

He looked over to the oversized lounge chair to see Sophie perched in Derek’s lap, his arms around her as she casually fed him bites of her pizza. He was thankful to have them – of course, having somewhere to live, food to eat and a bed to sleep in at night was essential, but they gave him so much more than that.

 

They had sympathy, they cared, they wanted good things for him and ultimately, gave him a home – not just a house.

 

Liam loved his parents, he really did. His Mom and Dad did everything for him growing up and never in a hundred years could he have predicted what unfolded that night four months ago. He’d give anything to have the parents from his childhood back, but knew since that wasn’t a real possibility, Sophie and Derek were his next best options. They made it just a little bit easier for him to be alive while his parents were not.

 

“Liam, did you get enough to eat?” Derek asked, noticing his empty plate.

 

“Yeah,” Liam smiled, breaking his trance as he reached to the coffee table for another slice. He certainly had enough.


	17. Alpha Pair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! still going strong in birthday celebrations. 
> 
> Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

"Baby,” Sophie grinned, seeing Derek’s face pop up on her laptop.

 

“Hey there,” he replied, fluffing his pillow behind his head and laying back.

 

“Is it time for you to come back yet?” She asked with a teasing frown.

 

“I only left this morning,” he countered. She had brought him to the airport a few hours ago to head to a two-day landscaping and home improvement warehouse conference in Atlanta.

 

She still thought the idea of it sounded bizarre but she decided not to question it. Derek had come a long way in the last month with his business and she was used to people trudging around her yard to check out the work he had done in the past few weeks.

 

Additionally, his pool was making leeway in the immediate backyard of the Hale House and he started pavers for a designated bonfire area.

 

“It feels weird being here without you,” she replied, snuggling down further into his bed. She volunteered to stay at Derek’s while he was gone to keep an eye on the house and so that there was a _responsible adult_ in case Liam needed anything.

 

“Excuse me,” he said flatly as he watched Nina tip toe her way across the pillows behind Sophie’s back. “What is she doing on the bed?” He asked.

 

“If you’re not here, she has to keep me company!” Sophie squealed, defending the kitten who almost always slept in Liam or Isaac’s room over their heating vents.  
  
“Really, Soph?” Derek asked, unimpressed.

 

“Fine, I’ll just find someone else to cuddle me through the night,” she said airily, brushing her hair back over her shoulder.

 

“Not funny,” he replied pointedly.

 

“I don’t know, Mr. Richter from ninth-grade Bio is pretty cute,” she shrugged. Even over the webcam, she could hear the growl from Derek’s chest. “Oh calm down, Big Bad,” she rolled her eyes. “You know you’ve wrecked me for anyone else – besides, I’m not going to run off with my other boyfriend till after your pool’s done.” She shrugged.

 

Derek narrowed his eyes as he looked into the camera on his macbook.

 

“How’s Atlanta?” She asked, readjusting and pulling Nina into her chest. She was dressed in one of his plain black tees and a pair of his boxer briefs. He had since ordered ten new pairs from Calvin Klein seeing as many of his now ended up making their way back to Sophie’s house.

 

“Warm,” he replied, also already missing home.

 

That, and he hated lying to her about where he was.

 

“When you come home, can you make ribs again?” She asked, playing with the ends of her hair. “I’m really craving your… ribs in my mouth,” she smirked.

 

“Soph,” he warned.

 

“Y’know, all thick and meaty,” she sighed teasingly.

 

“That it?” He asked, bicep flexing instinctively behind his head.

 

“Mhm,” she nodded. “That’s it.”

 

“Tease,” he accused, making her grin.

 

“I’m going to the grocery store tomorrow, want to shoot me a text of anything you need?” She asked, twirling her little wolf charm between her fingers in a way that made Derek feel more at ease. “I’m taking Liam to his physical tomorrow at two and then to baseball practice,” she listed off. “Thought I’d make chili and cornbread for all the boys when they came home from lacrosse practice, too.”

 

Derek loved everything Sophie did, including but not limited to the way she talked _and_ the way she talked about the boys.

  
It was too easy to imagine she was talking about their kids – doing their laundry, cooking their meals, bringing them to practice.

  
It made him even more sure of why he was in Miami.

 

“I love you,” he said, surprising even himself.

 

He watched as a little smile spread across her face.

 

“I love you, too, Der.” She replied.

 

“Good,” he smiled.

 

“Come home,” she stretched out on the bed. “We miss you, Daddy,” she waved Nina’s little paw.

 

“I miss you, too,” he replied, rolling his head to the side.

 

“Stay on with me till I fall asleep?” She asked.

 

“Want to watch an episode of Parks?” He asked in return. They had been making their way through the series and neither of them was allowed to watch it without one another.

 

“’kay,” she grinned, opening up a window for Netflix.

 

Derek watched her while she watched the show. He liked that more, anyway.

 

[][][]

 

Liam grimaced as he watched Sophie practically pounce on Derek in the curbside pickup at Sacramento International Airport.

 

“Missed you,” she said against his lips, kissing him gently.

 

“Missed you too, Soph.” He replied.

 

“Wanna drive home?” She asked.

 

“Why, you gonna occupy yourself otherwise?” He raised a brow.

 

“No, there’s a kiddo in the car,” she said as quietly as she could, never entirely sure when the boys could hear her and when they couldn’t. she hoped some of the white noise of the airport around her drowned out Derek’s little comment.

 

“Hey, Li.” He looked past Sophie at the teen in the car.

 

“Hi, Derek.” He greeted, petting Nina who was content to sit in his lap now that the car had come to a stop.

 

“Really, Sophie? You brought Nina?” He asked, sure he shouldn’t be surprised as this point.

 

“She didn’t want to be left alone,” Sophie justified.

 

“Can we get In-N-Out?” Liam asked blearily, having napped most of the way to the airport.

 

“Sure,” Derek nodded, taking the car keys from Sophie.

 

It took twenty minutes for them to end up settled in the hammock in the backyard after arriving back at the big house that afternoon. Wrapped up in Derek’s arms and a blanket, she was happy to be outside even if the air was a little crisp in early February.

 

“I’ve had serious boyfriends in the past,” she began, taking a sip of her milkshake that she kept from drinking all the way back. “But this feels really... different with you.”

 

“How do you mean?” He asked, pressing his nose into her neck under his ear, kissing her skin gently.

 

“Promise not to laugh?” She asked looking back at him.

 

“Of course,” he replied.

 

“I feel… a little empty when you’re gone,” she said quietly. “We’ve not even been together six months and I already can’t imagine what it’s like to be away from you.”

 

Derek wanted to tell her, he really did, but it still felt too soon. Though he knew his own logic was flawed considering he already had his grandmother’s diamond ring sitting in it’s emerald velvet box, pulled from his safety deposit box weeks ago.

 

“If it makes you feel better, I feel the same,” he replied, stroking a hand up her arm and pulling her tighter to his chest.

 

_“Is this all they do?” Scott asked, standing at the French doors that opened to the backyard beside Isaac and Liam._

_“Pretty much,” Liam replied._

_“Is this what it’s going to be like when we find our mates?” Isaac asked._

_  
“God I hope not,” Scott replied._

 

“The boys are in the house making fun of us,” Derek said quietly. Sophie looked over long enough to see them all scatter from the glass doors. “Scott is having his girlfriend over tonight,” he supplied, making Sophie’s head practically turn all the way around to look at him.

 

Scott had been seeing Allison for months now and he still hadn’t brought her by the big house.

 

“Oh my God!” She gasped, “what should we do? Tacos? Grill? Are we going to have a fire?” She asked.

 

“Babe,” he began gently. “She’s not coming by to meet us. He asked for privacy.” Derek insisted, “they’re going to hang out in the basement with Jackson, Isaac and Stiles.” Sophie frowned quickly.

 

“But, I want to see her,” she argued.

 

Derek held a finger up, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out his phone.

 

 _He wants us to entertain Liam._ He typed out.

 

“He doesn’t want him there?” She asked quietly enough.

 

 _They want to have guys night and talk about school and… “big kid” stuff._ Derek explained.

 

“Poor baby,” Sophie frowned, “he’s going to feel so left out.”

 

“It’ll be okay, we’ll take him to do something fun,” Derek replied.

 

In the end, they didn’t need to. Liam had been invited over to a teammate’s house for a baseball bonfire. Now the hard part was keeping Sophie out of the basement.

 

“Sophie,” Derek wiped a dry towel over his wet hair as he padded down the stairs to see her preparing a tray of snacks in the kitchen with bowls of popcorn, candy and chips.

 

“Der,” she replied, looking into the fridge and grabbing a few bottles of water and cans of pop.

“C’mon Soph, give them some privacy,” he insisted.

 

“I am! I’m just making sure they have snacks!” She said, pitch elevating.

 

“Baby, put the snacks down, we’re going out,” He replied.

 

“Going out?” She asked, looking at him with interest.

 

“What? I can’t take my girl out?” He asked, leaning forward over the counter and flexing his arms just the slightest.

 

“You’re just trying to distract me,” she eyed him suspiciously.

 

“So is that a no?” He asked. She looked down at her tray, quite proud of the spread before sighing and trudging back up the stairs to change. Moments later, she reappeared in the family room, her purse on her shoulder and cell phone in hand.

 

“All my cute clothes are at my house,” she said pointedly. “But first…” She glanced across the room to where the enclosed staircase was to the basement. “Better make sure someone keeps an eye on Nina!” She squealed, dropping her purse to the ground before dashing across the room.

 

Thankfully, Derek was quicker as he dodged after her, snagging her about the waist and tossing her down on to the couch, pinning her there. He laughed as she squirmed under him, trying her best to escape his hold.

 

“Nina needs someone to watch her as much as someone needs to keep an eye on a goldfish,” he taunted, now tickling her and laughing as she screamed.

 

“Derek! Lemme’ go!” She laughed, inconsolable as he tickled her sides. “I’m going to kill you!” She laughed, weakly pawing at his chest. “Bad puppy!”

 

“Uh, guys?” Derek paused, giving Sophie a chance to wipe at her watery eyes as a small group of teens pooled at the top of the staircase look at her oddly.

 

“Hey,” Sophie grinned, trying to collect herself. “We’re just leaving,” she offered.

 

“Sophie, this is my girlfriend, Allison,” Scott said, pointing to the cute young brunette next to him.

 

“So nice to meet you,” she squeaked as Derek nipped her side again.

 

“There’s food on the counter,” he nodded his head back toward the kitchen.

 

“Thanks!” Isaac called, grabbing the tray off of the granite before disappearing down the stairs again.

 

“Uh, have fun,” Stiles laughed as he followed the group back down the stairs.

 

“You jerk!” She laughed, punching him in the shoulder. “You heard them coming!”

 

“Come on, let’s go see a movie and make out in the back row,” he grinned.

 

He could hear Allison’s voice in the basement.

_That’s your Alpha pair?_

[][][]

 

Sophie was buying two boxes of Buncha Crunch and a root beer when she heard it.

 

“Hi, Ms. McLaren!” She turned, her skirt twirling with her hips as she did so.

 

“Hi Carter, hi Tommy, how are you?” She asked with a sweet smile as she addressed two of her students.

 

“We’re going to see Transformers! Is that what you’re going to see?” Carter asked excitedly, clutching a box of cookie dough bites in his hand.

 

“We are going to go see a scary movie,” she grinned, watching as the two little boys shuddered.

 

“I’ve got napkins and popcorn,” Derek announced, taking his spot by her side. “Hey guys,” he greeted. They both eyed him rather suspiciously.

 

“This is Carter and this is Tommy, they’re in my morning class,” she said, introducing the two boys who were trying to figure out what was so intimidating about Derek. “This is my friend Derek,” she smiled.

 

“Hi,” Carter said quietly, feeling quite brave for doing so.

 

“Tell me, guys, do you like having Ms. McLaren for a teacher? Or is she really strict and mean?” He asked,

 

“We like her!” Tommy practically jumped, “she lets us listen to music during tests and sometimes she brings Nina in.” Of course she did.

 

“You guys are so sweet,” she laughed. “We’re going to be late to our movies! You boys have a good weekend, okay? I’ll see you Monday.” She said before they could run off down the hall toward the theaters.

 

Derek laced his hand with hers, carefully balancing snacks as they walked further into the cinema.

 

“I remember when I was in love with my fourth grade teacher,” he said holding the door open for her.

 

“They’re not in love with me,” she laughed, rolling her eyes.

 

“Of course they are,” Derek replied, “they didn’t even look at me when I was talking to them.”

 

“You’re being silly,” she shook her head as they took their seats.

 

“I don’t blame them, I would be totally in love with you if I was a 10-year old boy,” he shrugged.

 

“Doesn’t count, you’re in love with me now,” she leaned over, pecking his lips. “Now pass me that popcorn.”


	18. Night Changes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've finally caught up to my own writing! working on cranking out a bunch of chapters this week so I can get ahead again!
> 
> Hope everyone's having a good week!
> 
> xx

“I’m shocked!” Sophie said, wide-eyed as she FaceTimed with Lauren Fitzpatrick, soon to be Mrs. Lauren Huntington. “I’m so happy for you!” She added, remembering that no matter what she thought, Lauren was over the moon. Trevor got down on one knee and proposed to the blonde after a mere six months of dating.

 

“I can’t believe it either, I’m so happy!” She bubbled, showing off the rose gold ring with a pear cut diamond.

 

“Your ring is beautiful,” Sophie gasped, eyeing up the stone.

 

“He did so good, I can’t believe it! I know I keep saying it, but I really can’t!” Lauren was teary-eyed.

 

“This means we get to plan a wedding!” Sophie laughed, maintaining eye contact as Derek let himself into her house where she was lounging on the sofa in the family room in a pair of grey sweatpants and a pink sports bra.

 

“I’ve got to go and call my grandma but I’m going to text you tonight!” Lauren giggled before ending the call, “love you!”

 

Sophie tossed her phone down on the couch, still shocked as she looked up at Derek.

 

“What was that all about?” He asked, joining her on the couch and tugging her into his side. Sophie requested his presence when he finished meeting with the pool guys to snuggle and relax as she was on the worst day of her period. She practically whimpered upon seeing the bag of sushi and chocolate cake he drove out of town for sitting on the kitchen counter.

 

“Lauren got engaged,” she said, looking up at Derek to gage his reaction.

 

“To Trevor?” He asked, his eyebrows creeping into his hairline.

 

“Oh thank God, you think it’s weird, too,” she collapsed into his side with a little whine. “They’ve been together barely more than a few months!” She squeaked.

 

“It is soon,” Derek agreed, “but I guess, when you know you know.”

 

“It’s weird, Derek, this is so unlike her,” she said, eyes closing softly as he rubbed his hand across the back of her neck

 

“Want to talk about it?” He asked.

 

“No, not really,” she shook her head. “I’ll need to save my enthusiasm and excitement for when she calls back,” she said dryly.

 

“I brought lunch from Blue Fin,” he said, giving her a squeeze, “and chocolate cake.”

 

“Mm, best boyfriend award,” she said, getting up form the couch and grimacing as she cupped her breasts in her hands. He raised a brow.  


“My breasts are killing me,” she pouted.

 

“Anything I can do?” He asked, having a pretty enlightening day so far.

 

“Don’t touch ‘em,” she warned.

 

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

 

Soon they were upstairs in her bed, his body curled around hers as they made it through the first episode of Sherlock on Netflix. She hummed in pleasure as his fingertips grazed over her lower abdomen, little streaks of black tracing up his wrist as he whisked away her cramps.

 

As payment, she periodically let him have a bite of her chocolate cake.

 

“Soph,” he began carefully.

 

“Der,” she replied, feeling rather content in her little cocoon of warmth and comfort.

 

“Are you… jealous? That Lauren and Trevor got engaged?” He asked quietly. She froze for a moment before reaching for her remote and pausing the show.

 

“I don’t think jealous is the word,” she turned in his hold to face him as they shared a pillow. “I guess I’m just irked because she gave me so much shit for ‘settling down’ with you so fast and here she is not two months later getting engaged,” she began to vent. “Like she really guilt-tripped me just because we live here in Beacon instead of Denver or Miami or New York or _wherever_ ,” she sighed. “I guess it just feels hypocritical to me like her relationship is apparently so _different_ , but I don’t want to think that, I want to be happy for her and excited,” she added. “It’s tough.”

 

“You’re a good friend, Soph,” Derek insisted. “It’s not unreasonable to be a little irked.”

 

“It’s also weird that she’s getting married to a guy I’ve never met,” Sophie said thoughtfully. “But she’s told me so much about him, so I guess there’s that.”

 

“True,” Derek nodded thoughtfully, knowing she was just verbalizing her thoughts.

 

“Probably too much if I’m being honest,” said Sophie.

 

“How do you mean?” He asked, stealing a bite of her cake.

 

“I know various things like the fact that he’s uncut and that they’ve pegged,” she laughed as Derek’s nose scrunched.

 

“…pegged?” Derek asked, afraid of the answer.

 

“You’ve never heard of pegging?” She grinned, “oh my God, you’re so cute,” she pinched his cheek.

 

“I don’t want to know,” he insisted, though he’d be lying if he said he didn’t reluctantly Google it later.

 

“I won’t complain, I’ve got a really good man,” she said, squeezing the back of his neck gently and playing with the soft hairs there. “Well, a good wolfman.” He leaned forward, kissing her hard enough to taste the chocolate cake on the back of her teeth.

 

“I’d do anything to make you happy, Soph,” he said gently.

 

“You already do,” she insisted, “you’re so good to me, I mean it.” She gave his hair a little tug. They kissed again softly, Sophie pressing as much as she could up against Derek to sap up some of his body heat.

 

“Wait,” Derek said, pulling away. “How much does Lauren know about my dick?”

 

[][][]

 

“Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Derek, happy birthday to you!” Everyone sang as Sophie carried out a cake to the finished back patio, topped with twenty-seven candles. Derek was officially on a health kick and in lieu of a traditional birthday cake which had “too much sugar” and “empty carbs,” she put together watermelon cake she saw on Pinterest a few months ago for the birthday boy himself and then some cupcakes for the guests.

 

The day was also celebrating the official opening of the pool, which boasted a deep end, shallow area, diving board and adjacent whirlpool.

 

The usual suspects were in attendance including Melissa and John who got the time off for the party that afternoon as well as some of Stiles’ and Scott’s friends.

 

Sophie pressed a kiss to Derek’s cheek as she set the cake down in front of him and he smiled as wide as he had in a long time as he considered his wish.

 

From his perspective, his life was a thousand times better than he ever imagined it could be six years ago. He had a strong pack of good people, a budding business that was growing each week and now, Sophie.

 

It was hard to believe he’d find someone to love with as little as things changed in Beacon Hills – much less his true mate, but he was certain fate brought her to Beacon and into his life eight months ago. Now, surrounded by his friends and family, his beautiful girlfriend by his side and the goosebump-inducing blowjob he had as an alarm clock that morning, he had very little to wish for.

 

He’d blow out the candles anyway.

 

“Happy birthday, baby, I’m so proud of you,” Sophie said, setting down a piece of the “cake” in front of him after cutting it up.

 

“This looks amazing, Soph, thank you,” he grinned, looking down at his healthy cake.

 

“Anything for you, birthday boy,” she took a seat next to him with a little slice of watermelon and a cupcake. She took out her phone, sliding it on the table in his view with a little note written out.

_I have a present for you… The boys will all be gone for the night._

 

Derek piqued an eyebrow at the message.

 

“Is that it? An empty house?” He asked teasingly.

 

“You’ll have to wait and see,” she shrugged.

 

They both had fun watching the kids goof off in the swimming pool, enjoying the new feature to the house. Sophie could definitely see herself falling asleep in a chair at the pool all summer long.

 

The low-watt bulbs on a string she talked Derek into for the patio looked amazing after the sun went down and even he agreed as they lit the backyard with a warm glow.

 

As Sophie watched the last of the kids load into their cars and drive away for the night, she walked back from the driveway to the front door, slipping on her Nikes before walking through the house to the patio where Derek sat, drinking a beer.

 

“Good birthday, babe?” She asked, dropping into a seat adjacent to him at the table. His feet were kicked up on the table and he certainly looked pleased with himself.

 

“Great birthday,” he agreed.

  
“Cake was good?” She asked, having doubts about the coconut milk frosting.

 

“It was great, babe,” Derek reassured. “I’m already thinking about my next piece.”

 

“Ready for your gift?” She asked, smiling.

 

“Beyond ready,” he said, just noticing the Nikes on her feet.  


“I asked the boys what they thought you’d like,” she stood from the patio chair. “And they told me something quite interesting,” she grabbed her foot from behind her body, stretching out her quad before doing the same on the other side. “They said, that sometimes,” she crossed her arm across her chest, stretching that out as well. “The big puppy likes to go on a bit of a run,” she zipped up her little jacket. “Especially when there’s something to chase.”

 

Derek gulped, his skin warm to the touch at the thought of chasing Sophie across the two acres of finely manicured grass and into the tree line and beyond.

 

“So my birthday gift to you is actually a gift for me,” she stood at the ready on the edge of the patio pavers. “I get a ten second head start,” she grinned before taking off across the lawn.

 

Derek hopped out of his seat, practically tearing his shorts off as he turned, eyeing Sophie’s figure in the distance like the tastiest treat he ever saw.

 

“Eight Mississippi, nine Mississippi, ten!” She screamed out a laugh. Derek tore across the lawn like a bullet, but caught up to her too fast, so he slowed to a canter as she ran as fast as she could past the trees and into the woods.

 

Derek paused at the tree line, watching the little reflective bits of her jacket catch the moonlight as she dashed around. She clearly wasn’t one used to running in the woods as she haphazardly stepped on twigs and dried leaves.

 

He let her cut halfway across the width of the foreseeable woods running parallel to the lawn before jumping in, tracking his prey very carefully. After a few moments of stalking, he let his paw crush a stick beneath him.

 

“I heard that!” Sophie called with a laugh, picking up her speed in lieu of the careful steps she had been taking and running back toward the grass. Derek sped up again, his paws pounding the earth beneath him and his panting audible. He let out a long, loud howl as he watched her figure double back toward the house. “Can’t catch me!” She called.

 

If he could have laughed, he would. She took one look over her shoulder and squealed loudly as she saw Derek’s wolf crouched low, yellow eyes glinting back the reflection from the patio lights and tail stick straight.

 

“Derek!” She laughed, not scared for a moment as she turned back and ran as fast as she could, lapping around the side of the house to the front. Derek put on the brakes, crossing around the back of the house to meet her on the opposite side.

 

She screamed seeing the wolf waiting for her and barely dodged around his meaty body before heading toward the pool, Derek fast on his heels.

 

He nearly caught her before she cannonballed into the water.

 

When she surfaced, she saw the black wolf pacing around the edge, giggling as he gave a gravelly _woof._ It was a short chase, no more than twenty minutes, but Derek hadn’t felt that energized in months.

 

“Sorry babe, if I was in better shape, I could have gone for longer,” she laughed, dunking in the water to run her hands through her hair. When she resurfaced, she was greeted with the sight of her naked boyfriend standing at the edge of the pool.

 

“You’re perfect,” he insisted before stepping off the ledge into the water.

 

“Hi,” she laughed as he surfaced, reaching up to brush his hair back from his face.

 

“Hi,” he mimicked, looping an arm around her and pulling her body to his. “You’re fully dressed,” he pointed out.

  
“You’re naked,” she countered, inching slowly away from him.

 

“Seems like one of us should change,” he said, frowning as he realized she was getting further away from him. “Where are you going?” He asked, fingers just grazing her side as he reached for her.

  
“To the hot tub!” She squealed as he lunged for her. “Puppy can’t swim?” She teased, bouncing away from him through the water to the raised whirlpool.

 

“Last one in the Jacuzzi has to make breakfast!” He called, swimming after her.

 

[][][]

 

“Twenty-seven,” Sophie reminded as she laid against his chest in bed much later that night, approaching one in the morning. She was going to pay for it on Monday, but it was worthwhile.

 

“Old man,” Derek sighed, running a hand up and down her back.

 

“I should have gotten you some prune juice and a cane, huh?” She asked, pressing a kiss to the underside of his jaw. He couldn’t complain – even Nina was gone for the night, having a sleepover at Stiles’.

 

“You gave me my favorite present of the night.” He reassured, “but a cane may be necessary.”

 

“What’s in store before twenty-eight?” She asked, stroking her hand gently across his chest.

 

“Hmm,” he hummed, eyes closed as he wrestled with sleep. “Build my business, do some traveling, get Liam through his freshman year of high school,” he listed off. “Keep spoiling you,” he added.

 

“Sounds like an excellent year,” she grinned. “Come to Miami with me,” she added.

 

“I’d love to come to Miami with you,” he insisted. “See where you grew up,” he began, “eat some more recipes from Grandma.”

 

“What do you want for breakfast tomorrow?” She asked, eyes finally closing.

 

“For my victory breakfast?” He prompted.

 

“For your old man breakfast,” She countered, still surprised that with her head start, he still managed to beat her to the hot tub hours earlier.

 

“I want… chocolate chips pancakes, bacon, eggs and… you.”


	19. Sweet Summertime

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey all! happy saturday! i'm still writing more chapters of LBT. now is your chance for suggestions if there is anything you want to see happen between S&D.
> 
> feel free to leave them in the comments! have a great weekend!!
> 
> xx

Summer was so close that Sophie could taste it – and so could her students. The sixth graders were especially restless and she thought that before getting into the thick of finals, she’d give them a relaxing day. So she popped on a DVD of National Treasure and skipped the worksheet for the afternoon. She also brought in bags of popcorn to snack on – mostly for them, but a little for herself, too.

Now at the end of the day, she also didn’t mind sending the kids off ten minutes early. She had gotten to the homesick part of camp and was ready for another trip to Miami. She was feeling the effects of a full school year and was just _tired_.

 

“Okay everyone, tomorrow we’re starting review, so get ready to take some notes!” She said as they filed out of the classroom. Tossing her tote over her shoulder half an hour later, she tossed a few files into her bag before locking up the classroom behind her.

 

“Hey, Mrs. McLaren,” She heard, turning her head to see Mr. Tomlinson approach her, walking down the hall with his own messenger bag.

 

“Hey Pete!” She smiled, “ready for summer?” She asked as he caught up to her, almost all the students gone for the day save for those hanging back for sports.

 

“Like you wouldn’t believe,” He replied. “Never teach eighth grade science,” he grumbled, holding the door open for her as they walked out to the parking lot. “They finished with school two weeks ago and are now showing up just to humor me.”

 

“That’s tough, but I can’t blame them,” Sophie replied, “I was a total slacker today and just put on a movie. There’s a lot to be learned from Nicolas Cage’s relentless pursuit of treasure,” she joked. “I think I want it to be summer more now than I did when I was in school.”

 

She spotted Derek’s Camaro in the parking lot as they were heading over to the fields to catch the boys’ lacrosse game that afternoon as they looked to earn a berth into the playoffs.

 

“Speaking of movies,” Pete began, “any chance you’d want to catch that new Marvel movie out this weekend? Maybe get a bite to eat after?” She looked over to see the eighth grade teacher’s face just a little nervous.  


“Pete, that’s so sweet of you, but I’m actually seeing someone,” she explained, smiling warmly.

 

“Oh, of course,” he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “I should have figured,” he finished.

 

“But I do hear that Marvel movie is really good!” She tried to save him from a bit of embarrassment, “the Thor movies are my favorite.”

 

“I’m more of an Iron Man guy myself,” he smiled, making her feel a little better.

 

“This is me,” she pointed out the red Touareg, “see you tomorrow!” she bid him goodbye.

 

“Bye Sophie,” he waved awkwardly.

 

Sophie dumped her tote and sweater in her car, wishing she had brought a pair of jeans to change into so she didn’t have to sit and watch the game in her work pants. Closing the door to the car, she nearly screamed as she noticed Derek’s presence on the other side of the door.

 

“Derek! What the hell!” She slapped his chest, “are you trying to give me a heart attack?” She asked.

 

“Sorry,” he didn’t sound sorry. “Who was that?” He asked, eyes scanning the parking lot.

 

“Who was who?” She asked, eyebrows knitting together as she squeezed her car keys into her pocket.

 

“The guy you were just talking to,” he said, craning his neck to see past her.

 

“Pete? He’s a teacher I work with,” she said, taking Derek’s hand and tugging him toward the lacrosse field.

 

“Is that all?” He asked, looking down at her quite pointedly.

  
“What?” She reared her head. “Derek, what are you asking?” She narrowed her eyes at him.

  
“He asked you out,” Derek said flatly.

 

“Yep,” she nodded, “and since you were eavesdropping, I’m sure you also heard me say that I was seeing someone,” she didn’t have the patience for this. It had been a long day of wishing she were somewhere else and now the feeling was carrying over into the afternoon.

 

“Yeah,” he said gruffly, “Did you say that because you knew I could hear?” He asked.

 

Sophie stopped walking, catching Derek off guard.

 

“What are you getting at, Derek?” She asked.

 

“I’m not getting at anything, “ he mumbled.

 

“You’re asking me if I would have gone out with him even though I’ve been dating your sorry ass for the last ten months?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.

  
Derek didn’t know how to explain himself. He was in a hard position. Usually by now he would have gotten to mark his mate, claim his territory and not have to worry about anyone else looking in Sophie’s direction.

 

His hesitance said it all.

  
“I’m not in the mood for this today, call me when you get your head on straight, Hale,” she breezed past him, heading toward her car.

 

“Sophie,” he all but whined, approaching her as he went toward the parking lot.

 

“If you know what’s good for you, Derek, you’ll just leave me alone,” she warned. He knew that tone from his sisters.

 

Sophie didn’t even feel bad for stopping at McDonald’s on the way home, Lauren already on the horn as she walked into her house.

 

“ _So he thought you were going to go out with some random guy you work with?_ ” Lauren asked.

 

“I don’t know what he thought, but that’s the vibe I get,” Sophie sighed.

 

“ _Sounds like a dick thing to say_ ,” Lauren replied.

 

“I might have snapped, too.” Sophie said reluctantly. “I was in a bad mood to begin with, I’m super homesick and miss my Dad and Miami,” she sighed. “I don’t know, my thoughts have been all over the place.”

 

“ _Have you ever considered moving home for the summer?_ ” Lauren asked, met by silence. It wasn’t something Sophie thought of before.

 

“No,” she frowned. She was very much looking forward to summer in Beacon Hills. Derek’s pool was done, they could watch Liam’s baseball games and drink on the patio. She was going to talk Derek into going to a Sharks playoff game now that they clinched a spot and they talked about road tripping to LA for a week.

 

But now, Miami sounded nice. Really nice.

 

“Maybe I should head down there for a bit,” she mused out loud.

 

“ _It couldn’t hurt, right_?” Lauren asked. “ _Get to see your Dad and cousins for a bit_.”

 

“I’ll have to think about it,” Sophie nodded.

 

“ _Okay, text me tonight,” Lauren began, “I’m on my way to taste cakes_!” She squealed.

 

[][][]

 

Later that night, Sophie heard through the grapevine that the boys did not win their last game of the season, missing their chance at making the playoffs. She hated wondering how a team with three werewolves couldn’t win a game, but she knew that she didn’t know all the details about how and where they used their gifts.

 

She was folding laundry, sitting on her couch and watching the final season of True Blood when her doorbell rang. She had a few guesses at who it might be. Pulling her tank down as it rode up over time moving her arms about, she stepped off the couch and opened the front door.

 

“I’m sorry,” Derek said, holding up an unmarked brown paper bag, the insignia of Jade Temple. She grabbed the bag from his hand and stepped aside so he could enter the house.

 

“What are you sorry for?” She piqued an eyebrow.

 

“For being jealous and stupid,” he replied, closing the door behind him and stepping into her personal space. “And being a bit of an asshole,” he finished, thinking about how cute she looked with her messy ponytail and bare legs.

 

“I’ll accept your apology,” she said, pecking his lips quickly. “What’s in here?” She asked, still feeling a little dismissive as she moved toward the kitchen to grab forks.

 

“Lo-mein, egg rolls, wontons and egg foo young,” he listed off, taking a seat on the sofa and picking up where she left off folding laundry. He watched from the corner of his eye as she moved about the kitchen, unbagging the Chinese food and bringing it to the family room. She was quiet as she curled up on the armchair, eating her lo-mein straight from the carton.

 

He let a few minutes of silence pass before he finished the laundry, setting it all in the hamper and sitting back in the cushions of the sofa.

 

“So, there’s a reason I got kind of tweaked this afternoon,” He said for lack of a better explanation. Sophie glanced at him out of the corner of her eye as she took a bite of her present.

 

“Is this you trying to pass a wolf thing off as a jealous boy thing?” She asked, still a little annoyed, but trying to be diplomatic. “Or is this a real thing?”

 

“It’s real, I promise,” Derek nodded. She set down her box of takeout, turning to face him in her chair. He really wanted to be closer to her for this conversation, but this would have to do. “My parents were what we call mates,” he began. “A lot of werewolves recognize their wolves as separate from their human selves.” She tuned in a bit more, intrigued. “Your mate is your perfect match,” he said hesitantly, “your wolf recognizes them right away. Ideally, your mate recognizes you as well if they’re also a wolf and then they claim one another.”

 

“Claim?” Sophie asked, gulping softly.

 

“It’s… marking your mate as yours,” Derek took another hesitant breath, “which keeps your wolf from going a little nuts in the jealousy department. It shows others that their mate is taken and… unavailable.”

 

“Oh my god, you want to pee on me,” Sophie deadpanned, a shudder running through her. “Wait… am I your mate?” She asked.

 

“Just for clarity,” Derek put up a hand, “I don’t want to pee on you.” He got up from the sofa, pushing the laundry hamper out of the way and kneeled in front of her. “You are my mate, Sophie.” He insisted. “I knew it from the moment I met you in the grocery store last summer,” he began. “It’s the reason I am the way I am around you, but also, the way you are around me. You’ve noticed it, when you said you feel empty when we’re apart…” he searched her face. “It’s because we’re meant to be together always. It’s unnatural for us to be away from one another.”

 

“Wow,” she exhaled, setting down her box of Chinese.

 

“So why haven’t you asked me… I mean,” she paused, “I don’t know how to say this – why haven’t you claimed me?” She asked.

 

“Claiming is a big deal, as big a deal as marriage,” he replied. She patted the back of her chair and he stood, switching spots with her before pulling her into his lap in the recliner.

 

“That is a big deal,” she agreed.

  
“I’m gonna marry you some day,” he pressed his nose into her neck, listening as her heart skipped a beat. “I’m gonna marry you and give you everything you want, no matter what or where that is.” She curled herself into his chest.

 

“What happens in a claiming?” She asked, noticing as his cock hardened beneath her. He was relieved that she didn’t shy away after his declaration.

 

“We make love,” he began, “during a full moon.” She grinned as he continued to nuzzle her neck.

  
“Pretty sure we’ve done that,” she pointed out.

 

“There’s some requirements,” He added, “I’ll take you from behind on your hands and knees,” he felt goosebumps break out across her skin. “And I pick somewhere on your incredible body to give you… a love bite,” he finished.

 

“A love bite, hmm?” She asked, adjusting herself in his lap. “Where will that be?” She asked.

 

“It can be anywhere,” He replied, running a hand up her thigh to her hipbone under her shorts to realize she wasn’t wearing panties under the scrap of athletic wear.

 

“Have any places scouted out?” She asked, arching her back with a little gasp as his blocky fingers swiped the outside of her sex gently.

  
“I have a few in mind,” he nodded.

 

“I think,” she paused with a whimper as his fingers teased her clit playfully, “I might need a hands on demonstration.”

 

“It’s always good to test-drive a car before you marry it,” Derek agreed.

 

“Take me upstairs, future husband,” she giggled, followed with a scream as he hoisted her out of the chair and practically ran through the house. Derek lost most restraint, ripping the shorts and tank from Sophie’s body as he tossed her down onto the bed.

 

“Derek!” She gasped, shocked.

 

“What was that you called me?” He asked, covering her body with his, kissing down her neck as she pulled at the waistband of his shorts.

 

“Future husband,” she was thankful for his eagerness, biting down into his shoulder as he pushed into her with little preamble. “Der,” she groaned, nails digging into the flesh of his back and causing a growl to rip through his chest.

 

“Sophie,” He panted, hips pounding into her mercilessly.

 

“Fuck! Derek!” She simpered, “Derek, I want,” she paused, catching her breath.

 

“What do you want?” He asked, “I’ll give it to you, anything you want,” he fixed his mouth to her neck.

 

“Take me like you’re going to claim me,” she whispered into his ear.

 

Derek howled a long, drawn out yowl at the moon and Sophie split into laughter.

 

She could live with that.


	20. An Adventure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> apologies for the delay in posting! big life changes over the past few weeks have put writing on the back burner. 
> 
> thank you so so much to everyone who has commented, it really makes me smile and want to write more!!
> 
> hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
> 
> leave some love if you like this chapter. it's a little filler, but necessary!

Sophie twitched in her sleep, causing Derek to peep one eye open as sunlight streamed in through the skylight overhead. Her lips formed a little pout and she wiggled her body slightly before settling again.

  
He watched as her features relaxed and she exhaled slowly. It was still early – early enough that he couldn’t hear any of the boys stirring downstairs and they likely wouldn’t be for another hour or two.

 

His eyes fluttered shut again, teetering just on the edge of sleep when he heard it.

 

“Derek,” she whispered softly. His eyes popped open again, fully expecting to see an awake Sophie looking back at him, but she was still fast asleep. He watched as she moved her legs slightly in her sleep, turning her face more toward her pillow as her lips puckered softly. At the sound of her whimper, his eyebrows shot into his hairline. Sophie was having a sex dream about him.

 

Her hand clenched into a weak fist and he could practically see her nipples pebble under her white tank. Another soft whimper tumbling from her lips and he was in near panic, wondering how he could best capitalize on the situation.

 

“Der’,” she mumbled, her heartbeat still slow and steady.

 

Derek carefully climbed over his sleeping girlfriend, spooning up tightly behind her and the reaction was immediate as she pressed back against him. Derek’s morning wood was nestled tightly along the curve of her ass, her panties riding up in the night providing an incredible amount of skin-on-skin contact.

 

Derek hadn’t bothered with pajamas last night after they had made love.

 

“Der,” this time, she sounded a little more desperate. Derek looped an arm around her waist, letting one of his thumbs give her nipple a little tweak over the fabric of her tank.

 

He bravely palmed her sex with his hand and she eagerly worked her hips toward the contact.

 

“Mm,” she moaned, “ _Daddy_.”

  
Derek froze, an eyebrow creeping its way up as he looked down at her. That was new.

 

A little shudder went through her body and she slowly stopped her movements, falling peacefully back to a quiet sleep. Derek, however, was rock hard.

 

He rolled out of bed, crossing the expansive master suite and stepping into the bathroom and right to the shower.

 

It was an interesting morning to say the least.

 

An hour and a half later, nearly twenty chocolate chip pancakes had been downed by Isaac and Liam collectively and they were each out the door. Scott volunteered to drive the gang into San Francisco for the day to bum around. Derek knew they had gone into the city to look for a birthday gift for Sophie.

 

He looked up at the stairs as his girlfriend as she padded down the stairs in her same white tank and a pair of his old boxers.

 

“Good morning,” she mumbled, running a hand through her messy hair. He loved the way she looked when she woke up. Sophie immediately walked into Derek’s arms, sapping up his body heat against his bare skin.

 

“Good morning,” he replied, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

 

“S’go back to bed,” she said, kissing his chest. “It’s early.”

 

“Baby, it’s ten-thirty,” he laughed. “I made you breakfast,” he added.

 

“Are the boys here?” She asked, eyeing up the plate of chocolate chip pancakes and fruit on the counter in front of her.

 

“They’re in San Francisco for the day,” he began. “Shopping for a certain someone’s birthday.”

 

“Even baby Liam?” she asked, looking up at him with her chin resting on his chest.

 

“Even baby Liam,” he nodded.

 

“I love those boys,” she murmured. “But I woke up really horny and all I can think about is you eating that fruit off of my body.”

 

He wasn’t one to deny her wishes.

 

[][][]

 

“I’m just going to say it right now,” Sophie sighed, looking at the bags of mulch and potted flowers spread out before her as Derek unloaded a second round of bags from his truck. “I was not made for manual labor.”

 

She was sweaty, it was hot and the sun beating down on her didn’t make it any easier.

 

“It’s fun!” Derek insisted, jumping down from the bed of the truck with all the grace and ease of a gazelle.

 

“I’m sweaty, there’s dirt on me.” She pointed out. “My landscape experience begins and ends with the sunflower I planted in a Dixie cup for father’s day when I was seven.” Derek snorted out a laugh.

 

“You’re doing great, baby,” he called from across the lawn where he was laying down rubber barrier in the back garden. He was considering planting tomatoes and zucchini.

 

“This is why we have a bunch of teenage boys in the house!” She called back, spreading out what felt like her millionth bag of mulch that day. “That’s free manual labor!” She added, lowering her volume and mumbling to herself as she spread out the woodchips. “I’d even pay them if it meant I could get my sweaty ass out of the sun.”

 

Derek tried to keep from laughing, as he was sure she forgot that he could hear her crystal clear no matter how quietly she whispered.

 

“M’gonna remember this the next time someone wants cinnamon rolls for breakfast,” she added. “Mama was out in the sun all morning, unbagging mulch that smells like manure – make _your own_ cinnamon rolls.”

 

“What was that, Mama?” Derek called.

 

“You heard me!” She called back.

 

An hour and a half later, with all the mulch bags emptied and spread and new flowers unpotted carefully to surround a picturesque oak tree, Sophie was laid across a pink floatie in the pool. She also had a glass of lemonade in a floating cup holder beside her.

 

“It looks good, Der!” She said as he padded out to the pool area from the house, tying the strings to his black swim trunks. He dove into the water, surfacing beside her and holding onto her raft, pulling her slowly back and forth.

 

“It does,” he nodded, “turned out just the way I was hoping.” He agreed. “I can already see the photos.”

 

“The photos?” She asked, lifting up her sunglasses to look at him.

 

“I guess I always imagined having a nice backyard that my kids could take their prom pictures in when they’re older,” he shrugged. “Y’know, when they all lineup with their dates before they go to dinner and the dance.”

 

Sophie stared up at him for a moment as he looked over at the oak tree surrounded by flowers.

 

“I’ve literally never been more attracted to someone in my entire life,” she stated plainly. How was Derek even real? Derek laughed with a shake of his head.

 

“Yeah, yeah, make fun of the broody old guy, I know,” he rolled his eyes. Sophie slid from her raft, perching her feet on top of his and slipping her arms around his waist.

 

“I mean it,” she said honestly. “When you say things like that about your future kids, I can feel my ovaries do somersaults.” He reached up, giving the hair binder at her ponytail a soft tug and watched her hair tumble down around her shoulders.

 

“Our future kids,” he said gently.

 

“Our future kids,” she agreed.

 

An hour later, they were settled into the hammock in the shade, Derek’s arms keeping her warm as she laid directly on top of him, her back to his front.

 

“Luna and Lux,” said said as he let his fingers wander across her midsection, imagining what it would be like to have a bump there, their child growing in her.

 

“Luna?” He asked, amusement in his voice.

 

“I’ve always loved it,” she said softly.

 

“And boys?” He asked.

 

“Good, strong names,” she replied. “I think I’m more traditional with boy names than girl names.”

 

“My Dad’s name was Alexander,” he said quietly.

  
“Alexander is a great name,” she tilted her head back to meet him in a kiss. “Though Daddy will be very disappointed if he sees me pregnant and no ring on my finger,” she said airily, feeling the rumble of his chuckle beneath her.

 

“So I should work on that, huh? Does that have to do with the sites you keep leaving up on your laptop? Bookmarked on Cartier and Harry Winston?” He asked. She shrugged impishly.

 

“I hadn’t noticed,” she simpered, followed by a loud, playful scream when he bit down on the juncture between her shoulder and neck. She flipped carefully, not wanting to dump them out of the hammock and straddled him as best she could. “You’re going to be such a hot Dad,” she grinned, taking off her Ray Bans and putting them over his eyes. “You’re going to have all the soccer mommies talking about you.”

 

“Is that so?” He asked, hands inching their way up her sides, nearing the strings of her day-glo bikini.

 

“I’m gonna pick out the biggest, most ostentatious wedding band ever for you,” she laughed evilly. “I’m going to make you wear all those tacky shirts that say ‘hubby’ and ‘taken.’”

 

“Can’t wait,” he said dryly with a roll of his eyes. She sat back against her heels, looking down at her body and placing a hand on her stomach.

 

“It would be an adventure,” she said softly.

 

[][][]

 

With ample free time and idle hands, Sophie was the newest volunteer at Beacon Hills Hospital for the next three weeks. She signed up to be an intake and overlook volunteer for the rest of May and into June.

 

“Look at you,” Derek grinned as he rolled over in bed to see her dressed in her pink volunteer smock, khaki trousers and sensible shoes.

 

“How is it?” She asked, sliding one last bobby pin into her hair to keep her French braids neat.

 

“You’re perfect,” he insisted, watching as she clipped on her new volunteer badge with a less than flattering photo. “When is my little nurse done today?” He asked.

 

“Finished by three,” she said, “ten to three this week and then eleven to four next week.”

 

“Can I bring Nurse McLaren some lunch today?” He asked.

 

“I get a half an hour break at noon,” she said, leaning down and kissing him squarely on the mouth. “See you then.”

 

Sophie was thankful to have a friend like Melissa McCall. In her first twenty minutes, she could see the real need for more volunteers at the hospital as she spent time showing her all the different places she’d be helping out.

 

After signing in and sanitizing, she was going to get trained in a flower delivery, discharge, pediatrics and the NICU. Knowing Melissa, she didn’t feel as awful to request to not be put in hospice care or the drug treatment centers, knowing it would be too hard for her.

  
That, and she could tell that Melissa really loved having a girlfriend at work she could talk to. In her downtime, Sophie got to linger around the nurses’ station and meet some of the other nurses as well.

 

“Everyone, this is my friend Sophie, she’s going to be volunteering here,” Melissa introduced initially.

  
“At least now I know that it is possible to look good in scrubs and it _is_ just me that’s the problem,” one of the nurses, who she’d come to know as Rachel, pouted.

 

“I love your scrubs!” Sophie insisted, “The polka dots are so cute.”

 

It certainly helped her popularity when Derek came by at noon with a lunch he made himself.

 

“Who is _that_?” Ned, one of the nurses asked as a few of them migrated toward the break room together.

 

“He looks familiar,” Rachel said, “but he definitely looks good.”

 

“Sorry everyone, that one’s mine.” Sophie grinned, walking toward her boyfriend with a big smile.

 

“Hey boss lady,” he greeted her with a kiss.

 

“Hi Mr. Hale,” she replied, pecking him quickly again.

 

“I brought you some sandwich and fruit salad.” He held up the bag.

 

“Mm, what a man,” she grinned. “Come sit with me,” she lead him to a little table outside that wasn’t too far from her reception desk in case they needed her.

 

She told him about the little ins and outs of her morning delivering flowers, pushing discharged patients in wheelchairs and meeting more of the hospital staff.

 

“So you like it so far?” He asked.

 

“Very much,” she nodded. “Helps that my boyfriend was a big hit at the nurses’ station,” she winked. “Ned thinks you’re cute.”

 

“I am cute,” Derek said, pretending to stick his nose in the air.

 

By the end of her shift, she was almost sad to be leaving the hospital and already looking forward to her next day. She was, however, pleased to sit on the couch in the family room with her feet up and getting a rubdown from her boyfriend.

 

Entranced in another episode of _Law and Order: SVU_ , they both looked up when the front door opened and Liam entered, quietly sitting down in the recliner adjacent to the couch – his usual spot. Liam was a quiet kid, but after an hour passed with not a single word, he was certainly more quiet than usual.

 

“How was your day, Li?” Sophie asked. Liam shrugged and Derek could tell he was wrestling with something, when his features crumpled a bit, she immediately sat up and reached out for him. He crossed the room in a moment and found himself curled up between them, Sophie stroking his hair as his tears wet her shoulder. “It’s okay,” she murmured gently, as Derek placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. “It’s okay, Li, we’ve got you,” she assured.

 

She knew that in his own time, he’d want to talk about it, but for now, she’d just be here as a shoulder to cry on. Being thirteen was hard enough, but being Liam at thirteen was a little harder than the typical experience. Sophie was sure she’d be the same way if she had gone through everything he had in the last year.

 

“You can talk to us about anything, you know that, right?” She asked softly, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. She held him there for twenty or so minutes until he was so tired he could hardly keep his eyes open. His dead weight against her was heavy, but nothing she couldn’t handle. She continually ran her hands through his hair and they settled on the couch like that.

 

Liam slept until nine and awoke later with his body stretched across the sofa, his feet in Derek’s lap and his head in Sophie’s, her fingernails trailing up and down his neck gently.

 

“Hi sweetheart,” she smiled, “pizza just got here, can I get you a plate?” She asked. Liam nodded, allowing her to get up off the couch. He watched from the sofa with tired eyes as she moved about the kitchen, stacking slices on a plate before returning with a plate for herself as well.

 

They sat shoulder to shoulder and ate in comfortable silence as they watched TV. Derek made sure Liam downed at least two bottles of water while he ate almost an entire large pizza to himself. When he finished, he sat back against the couch, letting the cushions envelope him as he rest his head against Sophie’s shoulder.

 

“Tired, babe?” She asked, placing a hand on his knee, to which he nodded. “Why don’t you hop in the shower and head to bed for the night?” She suggested softly.

 

“Yeah, you’re right,” he agreed.

 

“I’ll come up and say goodnight,” she assured. He stood from the couch, letting Derek give his hand a squeeze before heading upstairs. She practically threw herself into Derek’s side when they were left alone, pressing her lips to his.

 

“He’s going to be okay,” Derek murmured, kissing her again.

 

“I just want him to be happy,” she said quietly, pressing her face into Derek’s neck.

 

“He will be, I promise,” Derek insisted.

 

“Love you,” she replied, kissing him once more.

 

Sophie checked in on Liam a little while after she heard the shower turn off while Derek cleaned up the living room. They all decided to turn in early that night.

 

“All tucked in?” She asked, poking her head into the bedroom. Liam nodded, cuddled up under his blankets. She was a little surprised to see his room so clean. She could see carpet and there was a clear path from the door to his bed. She sat down on the edge of the mattress and ruffled his damp hair a bit. “Want to go do something fun tonight? See a movie or something?” She asked.

 

“Yeah, that would be good,” he nodded.

 

“Cool, we’ll make Derek buy the popcorn,” she smiled. A beat of comfortable silence passed between them. “Sleep tight, okay?” She leaned down, pressing a kiss to his temple.

 

“Love you,” Liam said quietly, making Sophie’s heart clench in her chest.

 

“I love you too, Li.” She smiled.


	21. Coming Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you again for the comments on the last chapter - they mean the world to me!
> 
> this chapter is a little all over the place, but get ready for something big happening in the next!
> 
> starting to get ahead of my chapters again.
> 
> let me know if there's anything you'd like to see happen with our lovely S&D.
> 
> xx

Derek was in full outsider mode, trying his best as he played good boyfriend and kept an eye on his little brunette who bounced around the sprawling property of the historic mansion in Denver where Lauren Fitzpatrick was going to become Lauren McKee.

 

With Sophie’s part in the bridal party, he had some spare time to meet some of her college friends and sorority sisters as she attended to the bride.

 

She had left the warmth of their bed in the scenic hotel they’d rented a room at early in the morning and only caught a few glimpses of her since.

 

Derek showed up a bit early for the ceremony, getting a chance to watch a few of the photos being taken along the property before he’d have to find a seat.

 

She looked beautiful, that was easy enough. Her hair was curled softly and pinned up with white flowers while a baby pink floor length dress emphasized her form and the tan she’d been working on by his pool for the last few months.

 

“Baby,” she smiled happily once she was released from the photographer’s clutches, crossing the lush green lawn with bouquet in hand.

 

“You’re beautiful,” he said, taking her proffered hand and drawing her in for a kiss.

 

“Don’t mess up her makeup, Hale!” Lauren called jokingly from where the photographer was staging her and her soon to be husband under the eaves of a willow tree.

 

“Your eyes look amazing,” he said, noting the subtle makeup and lashes she was donning for the affair.

 

“You think so? It’s not too much?” She asked.

 

“Not at all,” he shook his head. “You look incredible,” he commented again, watching the blush grace her cheeks.

 

“You don’t look half bad yourself, wolfman,” she placed her hands on the lapel of his light suit jacket that sat atop a purple checker shirt and skinny black tie. “Who dressed you today, huh?” She teased.

 

“Say all you want,” he said, pecking her lips softly, “I still get to go home with one of the bridesmaids.”

 

As a guest of a bridal party member, Derek got a pretty great seat for the ceremony. Perched on the inner aisle of the fourth row, he had a great view of Sophie as she stepped down the aisle arm-in-arm with Lauren’s little brother.

 

He couldn’t take his eyes off of her. Sophie could feel his gaze on her like a warm blanket in the cool rocky mountain afternoon.

 

She met his eyes more than once during the short but sweet ceremony, smiling softly and wondering if he was thinking the same thing.

 

He needed to make her his wife - that much was obvious to him. He wondered what type of wedding she’d like to have – if she’d like to have one at all. Who would be standing up beside him? Would the boys be in the wedding? Would she love his grandmother’s ring as much as he hoped she would?

 

Before he knew it, they were heading inside for the reception and his girlfriend finally joined him. He was thankful that Lauren and Trevor allowed guests of the bridal party to sit with their significant others.

 

Sophie was quick to lace their fingers together under the table and leaned into his side, listening to speeches from Lauren and Trevor’s family and friends. They shared their meals and Derek held onto the straps of her dainty heels as they slow danced the night away.

 

“It ended up being perfect weather,” she said as they took a break from dancing and stood out on one of the many balconies of the mansion. “I love the mountains,” she sighed wistfully.

 

“It’s too bad your Dad couldn’t make it,” Derek commented, knowing Detective McLaren had a soft spot for Sophie’s blonde best friend.

 

“I know, but I’m not surprised,” she nodded. “Miami keeps him awfully busy.” By no particular cause at all, Sophie ended up pinned between her boyfriend and the railing of the balcony, looking up at Derek as the moonlight reflected in his eyes.

 

“What are you thinking about?” He asked as she played with the little hairs at the base of his head, hands wound around the back of his neck.

 

“Just that this has been the perfect weekend and I don’t want it to end,” she said, tilting her head to the side. She hoped their kids would get his eyes.

 

Adventuring through downtown Denver the past few days as they took a small vacation before Lauren’s wedding had been fun. They took in a Rockies game, visited the DU campus and Sophie’s sorority house, ate their way through Larimer Street and took a hike up through Arapaho. He could definitely see why she loved it so much here.

 

“It has been really fun,” he agreed, “we should visit again in the fall and you can take me to a hockey game,” he suggested, watching the little spark in her eye.

 

“I would love that,” she nodded. “We have to go visit Daddy this summer, too,” she added.

 

“I’ve been leaving my calendar open in August just in case,” Derek replied.

  
“We’ve been having so much fun here and I’m so happy to be back in Denver that I almost feel guilty for missing home,” she said, sighing softly. “I miss the boys and Nina and the house,” she listed off. “I really am becoming a small town girl after all, huh?” She asked, tilting her head the other way and letting a hand trace down from his shoulder to his chest, tweaking the white flower pinned to his lapel gently.

 

“You’re not a small town girl,” Derek began, “or a city girl. You’re just a girl who knows how to be happy anywhere,” he finished, watching as his girlfriend’s smile grew.

 

“You always know exactly what to say,” she smiled, rocking up to her tiptoes and pressing her lips to his. “Come on, Lauren said they’re going to put out meatballs at ten and I want to make sure we get first dibs.” She said excitedly.

 

Yeah, he was going to marry her.

 

[][][]

 

Since they had returned home from Denver a week ago, Sophie had been absolutely insatiable. She wanted Derek morning, noon and night every day and in every way.

 

Her favorite activity was to watch him work in the yard under the summer sun as she floated in the pool, which almost always resulted in pool sex. They had yet to successfully fuck on top of a pool floatie, but Sophie was determined as ever to make sure it happened.

 

It also helped that Liam and Isaac had overlapping lacrosse and baseball practices nearly every afternoon, which allowed them two hours alone.

  
Today was different, though. That morning, she had woken him up with a mind-numbing blowjob before pecking his lips gently and flouncing off the Beacon Hills Memorial for the majority of the morning.

 

Liam, who was going to be absent from baseball practice, accompanied Derek in the vintage Mustang as they drove into downtown Beacon Hills toward city hall.

 

Today, Derek was finally officially adopting Liam – at Liam’s request. He had been a conditional guardian for quite some time now, but today, he’d become Liam Hale.

 

Sophie arrived at the little courthouse in the nick of time, dressed in a white sundress and a pink bow in her hair, she smiled widely as the judge confirmed what Liam already felt to be true – he was now Derek’s.

 

Derek tried his best to be mentally present for the proceedings, which passed by in a blur of smiles from the judge. By the end of it, Liam was now Liam Hale and Derek – Derek had full custody of him.

 

“Congratulations, Li,” Sophie hugged him as tightly as possible, not even fazing the werewolf. He was careful in his ministrations to hug her back, knowing he had to be a little gentler than she.

 

“Thanks, Soph,” he smiled.

 

A lot of the demons he had been battling recently were from feelings of being lost and alone. Sure, he knew he had Derek and Sophie, but he was the last of the Dunbar family. He thought perhaps it was time to let go of his past and move on, this time, as a Hale. He knew that it was true before the court date, but now more than ever, he felt like he belonged to a family again. He wasn’t alone. Now he had Derek as his father, Isaac as his brother, and he was sure that soon Sophie would share his last name, too.

 

Isaac had been made Hale official years ago, but requested to keep his last name.

 

To each his own, Liam assumed.

 

“Come on, what’s the very first thing you want to do as Liam Hale?” Sophie asked, twining her fingers with his as they walked out of the courthouse.

 

“I don’t know,” Liam replied, a growing smile on his face.

  
“How about, down the biggest chocolate milkshake we can find?” She grinned, turning the corner toward Ziggy’s. “Does that sound good, Der?” She asked, tossing her hair over her shoulder to look at him.

 

Derek was certain if his head was working properly, he’d manage something more coherent, but for now, he simply nodded as he watched the woman he was going to marry walk hand in hand down the sidewalk with the boy he’d just made his son.

 

After filling themselves to the brim with cheeseburgers, onion rings and shakes, Derek treated them to a movie. Liam nestled into the seat between Derek and Sophie and was charged with holding the popcorn as they watched Tom Cruise escape imminent peril for two hours.

 

Back at the big house that evening, it was just the two adults. Liam had taken off to meet up with some of his teammates to play laser tag while Isaac was curiously spending more and more time with one of his friends from school.

 

Sophie and Derek curled up on the couch in the basement with his body splayed out along the sofa cushions and hers on top of him. She had since changed into a sports bra and a pair of his basketball shorts and they were back to watching _True Blood_. Derek laid shirtless and in an identical pair of shorts. They occasionally caught glimpses of Nina as she periodically checked in on her parents before taking off and chasing dust bunnies as the air conditioning kicked on.

 

Derek didn’t stutter when Sophie’s attention switched from the television screen to his neck where she sucked his tanned skin into her mouth softly.

 

“Are you a vampire?” He teased, running a hand up her back. She grinned when she felt his nipples harden beneath her.

 

“Nuh uh, I’m a wolf,” she said, biting the skin gently. It took moments for Derek’s cock to gain interest.

 

“You’re a wolf?” He asked, tucking a hand into the band of her shorts to find she wasn’t wearing any panties. He greedily palmed the warm swell of her ass. His wolf whimpered when she sat up, bracing her hands on the flat planes of his chest and in doing so, put more pressure on his lower half.

 

“If you’re a wolf, I’m a wolf,” she winked, making him chuckle. “Lemme see him,” she bit her lip. “The hairy guy,” she added.

 

Derek tucked his hands behind his head, cushioned by a throw pillow before letting a ripple run through him. His sideburns elongated, along with his teeth as his brow bones became a little more prominent and his eyes flashed red. She hadn’t seen his _in-between_ state too many times, but he always indulged her.

 

“My wolfman,” she purred, running her hand up to his pointy ears. The growl he rumbled out reverberated through his body and made her shudder. “I did something today,” She began innocently enough. He tilted his head in question, a hand still planted firmly on her ass. Her eyes darted to the back patio doors that led right to the patio and pool.

  
“What’s that?” He asked in a deep timbre.

 

“Before I made it to the courthouse, I stopped here to change,” she began. “And maybe to hide a few pillows and blankets out in the woods.” She bit her lip. Derek’s arousal shot through the roof and she squealed as she felt his cock jump beneath her. “I was thinking maybe my wolfman would be up for another game of tag, but with a much more fun prize at the end.”

 

Derek growled loudly, a warm, excited rumble as she pressed her sex down into his, giving it a rock back and forth before climbing off of the couch. Strategically placing a pair of her slip-ons by the back door, she laid out the ground rules for the wolfman who was quite literally licking his lips at the prospect.

 

“You have to stay on two feet,” she started, tucking one foot into a shoe. “No cheating, no hiding, no scaring me,” she added, stepping into the other. “And when you catch me,” she opened up the sliding door, “I want you just like this,” she eyed up his figure.

 

Derek pulled himself from the couch.

 

“I get a ten-second head start!” She called behind her.

 

He gave her twenty seconds.


	22. Taking in Strays

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay guys, this is a big one! i worked super hard on this, so if you enjoyed it, leave a comment! would love to hear your thoughts!!
> 
> xx

Derek was never a sit-behind-a-desk-and-answer-emails kind of guy. In fact, the days that he had to do maintenance and paperwork for Hale Landscaping were his least favorite.

 

Seeing the text on his phone from Sophie was a welcome reprieve from the morning full of scheduling he’d endured. With his business growing rapidly, he’d likely have to consider an administrator to handle the pen and paper aspects of the company.

 

**_From: Sophie  
_ ** _Emergency at BHMH, meet me here asap, west parking lot._

Derek nearly dropped his laptop and jumped away from his desk. He picked up a dirty pair of jeans from the ground and slid them on, patting around for his car keys. He could be at the hospital in moments if he just knew where his damn keys were.

 

Upon arriving at the hospital, he was relieved to see no immediate signs of danger. There were no sirens or flashing lights and those inside seemed to be moving at a fairly normal pace. Maneuvering through the complex to the west parking lot, he spotted Sophie’s pink scrub top near the entrance to the nursing station. She was hunched over near the bushes, moving in a way that he couldn’t see her arms very well.

 

“Sophie?” He called out, looking at his phone to see that her shift had ended over half an hour ago.

 

“Der!” She called, standing up and looking back at him. “Come!” She called, a mixture of anxiousness and excitement in her voice. He padded over quickly, eyes settling on a black and brown blob in her hands.

 

“Sophie,” he said warningly. “Whose dog is that?” He asked.

 

“Nobody!” She replied, cradling the puppy to her chest. “They were going to call animal services, but I’ve seen how they treat animals and I couldn’t let them,” She explained. As Derek neared his girlfriend, he was able to see the dog up close. It was a Rottweiler, he guessed between six and eight weeks old – certainly too young to be away from it’s mother. “People make assumptions about Rottweilers and I didn’t want anything bad to happen to him.” She said.

 

“This little guy needs his mother,” Derek said, carefully handling the pup.

 

“I called security and they said they haven’t seen any other pups or a mama around the hospital anywhere,” she frowned. “They think someone’s dog had puppies and they didn’t want to care for them, so they’re just dumping pups all over town.” She said worriedly.

 

“It’s okay,” Derek said quietly, petting the puppy who was trembling in his hands. “What are we going to do with you, huh?” He asked, holding the puppy up to eye level.

 

“We have to bring him home, Der,” Sophie said, her eyes wide and sad. “We can’t leave him.” She insisted.

 

“Of course we aren’t going to leave him,” Derek replied, “but he would get snatched up quick at the humane society.” Derek pointed out, “a puppy this little would go quick.”

 

“No,” Sophie frowned, boxing him out and drawing the puppy into his chest. “I’ll keep him at my house before I turn him into the shelter,” she said, dropping a kiss onto its head.

 

“Can you maybe not kiss it too much until we get it checked out by a vet?” Derek insisted. “We don’t know what kind of fleas it may have.”

 

“He doesn’t have fleas,” she frowned even deeper. “Either way, he’s coming home with me.” She said with finality. “If you want to be a part of this, you can, but if you don’t, I’m going to be spending a lot more time at my place.” She said with zero subtlety. “He needs a mama.”

 

Derek sighed, knowing his girlfriend had a penchant for taking in strays, but that was always something he loved about her.

 

“Okay, I’ll call the vet and we can head over this afternoon before we make a run to the pet supply store,” he said, running a hand down the pup’s back, laughing softly when it nipped at his fingers with his sharp little puppy teeth.

 

“Hear that, baby? You’re coming home with us,” Sophie kissed him again.

 

An hour and a half later, the two of them, along with Liam and Isaac, were pushing a shopping cart through Premiere Pet Supply, a newly vaccinated and healthy little pup nestled on a soft pillow in the basin of the basket.

 

“Isaac, will you run and grab two bags of this food?” Sophie handed over the list the veterinarian recommended with the type of puppy food highlighted. “Big bags,” she added.

 

“Sure thing,” Isaac said, taking the list and disappearing down the hall.

 

“How about Hank?” Liam asked, holding on to the side of the cart and watching as the little Rottie slept, exhausted from his exciting day.

 

“Not Hank,” Derek shook his head, pulling down an enormous, plush dog bed that boasted memory foam under a sheepskin liner. Sophie eyed the bed wearily as he tucked it onto the shelf beneath the cart. “Trust me, he’s going to grow into it.”

 

“Arnie,” Sophie grinned, giving the little guy a scratch behind his ears and giggling when his little paws trembled in delight.

 

“No,” Liam shook his head, much like Derek.

 

“This one?” Derek asked, picking up a royal blue collar.

 

“I like it,” Sophie agreed. “Now let’s pick out some toys for the baby,” she grinned.

 

“How about Oliver?” Isaac said, returning with two hulking bags of dog food as Derek pulled down matching water and food dishes that would look good in the laundry room. He also wanted to get an elevated outdoor bed so the pup could enjoy the backyard with them. “Y’know like Oliver Twist? He was an orphan.”

 

“Ollie,” Sophie smiled, looking around to see agreeable faces. “Our little Ollie baby,” she declared.

 

Another two hours later and the newest member of the Hale family was snoozing on Sophie’s chest after eating to his heart’s content and chasing Nina around the family room. For the next few weeks, Ollie would have to eat his food warmed and softened by a bit of water and milk for his little teeth.

 

“Oh, I know, it’s so hard being a puppy,” Sophie cooed at the puppy’s pathetic little whimpers in his sleep. “I know, baby,” she stroked behind his velveteen ears carefully.

 

Derek wouldn’t admit that he was looking forward to sculpting a backyard that was a little more puppy friendly. He’d get to put up a nice doghouse in the backyard and maybe section off a bit of the yard with a smaller fenced-in area. Maybe he’d put in a doggie door off of the kitchen. Maybe he was getting ahead of himself.

 

Sophie ran a finger across the little bone-shaped silver tag that dangled from his blue collar, ‘Ollie’ inscribed along with her phone number. It sat right against his tag proclaiming he was up to date on his shots and treatments.

 

Derek walked over to the couch, sitting on the edge of it as he stroked Ollie’s fur lightly.

 

“He does look good here,” he said agreeably.

 

“He’s perfect for us,” she grinned as his big paws inched closer to her collarbone in his sleep.

 

“Why do I feel like five years from now, we’re going to have eight dogs and three cats and a lizard and two birds and…” he trailed off with a laugh.

 

“You don’t have to worry about lizards, baby, I would never let those into the house,” she placed a hand on his cheek. “It makes me sad to think about what could have happened to him if we hadn’t taken him home.” She stroked him gently.

 

“Don’t have to worry about it, Soph, he’s home now,” Derek leaned down to kiss her forehead gently. “Now let’s see what he looks like in his big boy bed,” he grinned, carefully lifting the slumbering pup and walking him over to the big, plush bed parked just by the fireplace under the television.

 

“Oh my God,” Sophie all but squealed, looking at Ollie in his bed that could easily fit eight other pups his size.

 

“It’s perfect,” Derek grinned proudly. “By the look of those paws, he’s going to grow up to be a big boy, this should fit him pretty well before you know it.”

 

“Thank you for letting me bring him home,” she said, sliding her arms around his waist.

 

“Babe, I don’t _let_ you do anything,” Derek laughed, “you just decide when you’d like to give me warning before you make your own decisions. You don’t need my approval.”

 

“I know,” she pecked him quickly, “but I still like it.”

 

[][][]

 

A week later, Derek was pulling up to Beacon Hills Memorial around lunchtime, armed with two sack lunches he put together earlier in the morning. He didn’t have any labor commitments for landscaping for the next three days and he wanted Ollie to get used to the idea of being home alone for short expanses of time.

 

Something felt a little off as he made his way toward the volunteer desk, but upon arriving, didn’t see Sophie. She was likely at the nurses’ station gossiping with Melissa and her crew.

 

“Hello, Ms. McLaren,” he smiled, greeting her with a short hug. He often had to remind himself that she was at the hospital for a professional role and needed to keep the PDA to a minimum – even when he wanted to rub himself all over her and rid her skin of the sterilized smell.

 

“Hey sweetheart,” she smiled, greeting him and walking down to the open table between the nurses’ station and pediatric wing where she had been helping out all morning sanitizing toys, organizing books and pushing wheelchairs.

 

“Made something special for lunch,” he said, pulling out the containers to reveal healthy cauliflower “fried rice,” homemade shrimp and avocado spring rolls and a fruit salad.

  
“Wow, Der, this looks amazing!” She complimented as he displayed it all before arranging it neatly on paper plates.

 

Last week they had a talk about eating a little healthier and trying to cook more at home instead of ordering pizza and Jade Temple four times a week. Derek was really taking a shine to cooking the healthy meals.

 

“How’s the baby today?” She asked, taking a bite of a spring roll, dipping it in a nice little peanut sauce Derek put together.

 

“Ollie is doing very good, he hasn’t tried to take his collar off once,” Derek began, “and for the most part, he’s just watching Nina and not chasing her – but you can tell he really wants to.” He laughed.

 

“What a good boy,” Sophie grinned. Derek wasn’t even fazed when the lock screen on Sophie’s phone had been changed from a picture of them at the beach to a photo of Ollie ‘hunting’ a flower in the backyard. He had really come to love the little dog and was glad he was part of their family.

 

“You guys been busy today?” He asked, digging into the fried rice.

  
“Probably the busiest they’ve ever been this week,” she explained. “For as much as I love volunteering and how crazy it can be, I’ll be sad to leave next week,” she added. “Sure my job can feel stressful, but it’s nothing like this.”

 

They enjoyed their lunch in the break room, Melissa stopping by for a moment to say hello. Derek gave her an odd look.

 

“There’s a wolf here,” he declared.

 

“Yeah babe, it’s you, hope it’s not too much of a shock,” Sophie laughed, balling up the paper bag and tossing it in the trash, making Melissa laugh as well.

 

“Not me,” he said, getting up from the table and exiting the room. Sophie quickly got up from her seat, following him at an even clip with Melissa on their heels. Derek navigated through the halls by scent alone, coming to a full stop as he lingered outside a room in the pediatrics wing with little construction paper flowers decorating the door.

 

“Melissa?” He asked, turning to look at the nurse who had just caught up to the pair. Sophie shifted uncomfortably as she looked between the room, Derek and Melissa.

 

The nurse grabbed the chart from the door, flipping through it quickly.

 

“Male, just under a year old,” she began, “child surrender from two days ago. Wrapping up treatment for malnourishment and dehydration. Child protective services hasn’t been contacted yet.”

 

“Child surrender,” Sophie’s eyes were wide.

 

“Dropped off at the police station,” Melissa read the footnote.

  
“Can I go in?” Derek asked, gulping softly, glancing at his girlfriend. Melissa took a look down the hallway – with the hospital as busy as it was, not many were paying attention to the door.

 

“Go ahead,” she nodded, “I’ll be out here.”

  
Derek pushed the door open gently, stepping inside knowing Sophie was right behind him. He heard her intake of breath upon seeing the little boy, sitting up in his crib with a teddy bear in his hands and a cartoon playing on the television.

 

His wide green eyes snapped to his two new guests and he immediately pulled himself up with the help of the crib’s bars.

 

“Hello,” Derek greeted, causing Sophie to hold back a snort.

 

“Hi there,” she cooed at the little boy who cracked a gummy smile. “Hi handsome,” she grinned. “What do we do?” She asked Derek.

 

“Let me try something,” he said, approaching the crib carefully. “Would you – ” he paused as the little one held his arms up toward the Alpha. “Oh, okay.”

 

Sophie watched as Derek gingerly lifted the infant from the crib, having abandoned his stuffed friend.

 

“Guh!” He shouted, waving his arms as Derek settled him against his hip. Sophie watched as Derek flashed his red eyes at the tot, causing the little one to still and flash a warm, honey brown back at him.

 

“Holy shit,” she exhaled.

 

“Language,” Derek chided. “Knew I smelled a cub,” he said, feeling pretty proud of himself. It wasn’t too often that cubs found their way through Beacon Hills without Derek knowing about it first.

 

“So, now what?” She asked as the little boy took Derek’s wiggling fingers and stuck them in his mouth.  


“I…” Derek trailed, scanning the child who looked up at the Alpha carefully. Sophie carded a hand through his surprisingly thick, dark hair and let a finger trail across his baby-soft cheek. “I’ve got to make some calls and see where he came from.” He sighed. “He can’t go into the foster system, though. We’re going to have to take him.” He said confidently.

 

“Excuse me, did you just say we’re going to have to take him?” She asked, a hair short of her jaw dropping. “Won’t they arrest us?” She said, pulse quickening.

 

“This has happened before,” he said, turning to look at his girlfriend who was a moment short of _freaking out_. “A newborn got dropped off here and I took her home until we could find what pack she came from. The mom dropped her off and disappeared, but her brother took the baby in.”

 

“Uh,” Sophie’s mind was completely and truly blank for the first time since kindergarten, “okay.” He watched as she sucked in another breath, “we don’t have anything to take care of a baby at the house.” She pointed out.

 

“Do you want to make a run to the mall while I sort this out?” He asked.

 

“What because I’m a girl I’m supposed to know what to get a baby?” She deadpanned.

 

“Baby, _please_ , I’m just asking because I’ve got to work with Melissa on getting him out of here.” He pleaded. Sophie looked down at the little boy whose cheeks were pink and whose green eyes searched hers imploringly.

 

“Oh my God, okay, I’ll meet you at the house,” She said, “tell Melissa I won’t be able to finish my volunteer shift.” Sophie booked it from the hospital, her mind swirling with a thousand different thoughts as she powerwalked from the hospital to her car.

 

Sophie drove forty minutes out of town to the nearest Target, lest she run into anyone she knew stocking up on baby supplies. With zero knowledge of what to actually get – she got _everything_. Four kinds of formula, a box of 150 diapers in various sizes, baby food jars by the pallet, onesies, socks, bibs, a car seat, a highchair and a pack’n play that would double as a place to sleep. She grabbed baby wipes and blankets as soft as fur, booties and a pair of impossibly small swim trunks. She about cleaned out the whole section and needed employees to help it all to her car.

 

Thankfully when she arrived at the big house, the boys had been called into action and took everything from the car and brought it to the appropriate places – setting up the pack’n play in the master bedroom.

 

Shortly thereafter, when almost everything had been unpacked, Derek arrived home with an unnamed baby boy that was going to be living with them until God knows when.

 

“Hi buddy!” Isaac greeted the infant, who clung even closer to Derek upon seeing the group of teens in the house.

 

“Well, we’ve got all the baby stuff,” she sighed, still feeling like they were stealing a child.

 

“Thank you,” Derek leaned over, careful not to squish the child between them to kiss her softly.

 

“I’m going to… run home and feed Nina,” she said, thinking of anything to get out of the house. “There is literally one of everything you could ever need for a kid here, so don’t worry.” She grabbed her car keys from the kitchen island. “Call me if there’s an emergency.” She offered, though she wasn’t sure what she’d do in the case of an emergency.

 

Derek watched as Sophie practically hightailed it out of the house, still clad in her pink scrubs from earlier in the day.

 

Arriving home, Sophie practically threw herself onto the couch and caught her breath.

 

There was a baby in Derek’s house. A baby they took from the hospital after someone anonymously dropped it at the police station. Additionally, it was a _werewolf_ baby. What had her life come to?

 

She wanted to call Lauren, her Dad, _anyone_ – but knew she couldn’t. She just needed like _an hour_ to collect her thoughts. She ran upstairs, hopping in the shower and washing off the smell of sterile soap, she realized she made a mistake.

 

“I shouldn’t have left,” she sighed. Derek was just as in over his head as she was. They were supposed to be a team and she took off the moment things got hairy.

 

Throwing her wet hair into two braids, she got dressed again, grabbed her cell charger, fed Nina and was back in her car.

 

“Sorry,” she breathed, opening up the front door to see everyone gathered in the family room.

 

“I’m here.”


	23. Hudson Alexander

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you to all who commented on the last chapter! i truly appreciate it!
> 
> here's another big one!
> 
> let me know your thoughts in the comments below :) 
> 
> xx

Three days had passed and so far, Derek had no luck locating the baby boy’s pack. He was still waiting to hear back from the two that bordered Beacon Hills the closest, but the only other three he could think of had all declined.

 

Rolling over in bed, he reached out for Sophie to see that her side of the mattress had gone cold. Sitting up tiredly, he blearily wiped his eyes to see Sophie bouncing the baby in her arms gently and a bottle pointed down into his mouth.

 

“Someone woke up hungry, didn’t they?” She babbled down at the baby who looked up at Sophie in the same way Derek did – completely in love. “This is our second bottle this morning,” she cooed, leaning down and pretending to nibble on his cheeks. Derek grinned as the baby squealed happily, swinging his fists around. “Who’s a handsome hungry boy?” She asked, once again bouncing from side to side. Shortly after he finished, she crawled back into bed after setting the baby on the mattress, pulling him to her chest as she settled into the pillows at the headboard.

 

“Morning,” Derek greeted, bringing a hand up and running it through the baby’s hair. “Good morning,” he greeted the baby who looked over at him before redirecting his attention back to Sophie with an adoring gaze. “He’s in love with you,” Derek commented, running a hand up and down the baby’s back soothingly.

 

“You think every man is in love with me,” she smiled softly. She was exhausted – truly and entirely exhausted. The past three days had been insane. Sophie grew up an only child and with no cousins. She never spent time with babies and had no idea what she was doing, so she was looking up how to do _everything_ on YouTube.

 

“We have to give him a name,” Derek whispered, watching as the little one rest his head on Sophie’s chest as she pat his little bum through his diaper. Sophie gave Derek a very even look before pulling one of the baby’s soft blankets up to cover his little feet.

 

“You know we can’t, Derek,” she said softly. “I’m already attached as it is. If we give him a name, then he becomes ours.”

 

“No one has claimed him yet,” Derek countered.

 

“We can’t keep him, Der,” she said, furrowing her brows. “He’s someone’s baby and they’re going to come for him.”

 

 _They may not_ , Derek through to himself.

 

“He’s not ours,” she said quietly.

 

“So then he’s just Cubby for now,” Derek replied, leaning down to kiss the baby’s head carefully. He heard Sophie’s heart skip a beat at the action. They both paused as Derek’s cell rang. He quickly picked it up before he could startle Cubby too much.

 

“Hi,” He greeted. “I’m well, thank you,” Sophie turned her attention back to Cubby who was once again, drifting back to sleep. Melissa guessed that Cubby was about ten months old, which put his birthday somewhere in August. She wondered what kind of parent could keep their child for almost a year before giving it up.

 

She could understand right away or in the first two months or so, but he was almost one at this point.

 

“Have you by chance heard anything from the Romeo’s?” He asked, signaling to Sophie that yet again, the baby was going unclaimed. “I will, thank you,” he ended the call before sitting up in bed to look down at the pair. “No dice.”

 

“It’s okay, Cubby, we’ll find your Mama,” Sophie said, kissing the top of the baby’s head again. “We need to get him out of the house,” she said, looking up at Derek. “He’s been in this house for four days straight.”

 

“Let’s go to a park, I bet he’d like the swings,” Derek said thoughtfully.

 

“We can’t go to one in Beacon, people are going to see us with a baby and won’t know what to think,” she said, reminding them that they did in fact live in a small world.

 

“I know a good park in Modesto,” Derek said, we can make a day of it and pack a picnic.

 

“Why don’t we go big and drive to Sacramento? Take him to see some water at Folsom?” She suggested a lake just outside of the city.

 

“Think he can make it an hour in the car?” Derek asked.

 

“Oh yeah, he’s going to be ready for a nap soon,” she nodded.

 

Soon, the pair, their little charge and Liam were on their way to Sacramento. Sophie couldn’t help but laugh at the little baby who was sporting his own pair of sunglasses while he slept courtesy of Liam. Derek drove just a little more carefully in the car than usual, eyes dancing back to the car seat as Liam played with Cubby’s feet.

 

“Okay, we’re going to stop and pick up something to eat, you wanna come in, Liam?” Sophie asked. The teen nodded and soon, all four of them were invading the sandwich shop. Liam held on to both of Cubby’s hands as he took shaky steps around the deli while they ordered lunch.

 

It was another twenty-five minutes to the lake, which was bordered by lush green grass. There was a playground not too far away and Derek couldn’t help but picture himself buying a boat and spending the weekends there.

 

“Who’s a hungry Cubby?” Derek asked, feeding the infant little bites of mashed banana.

 

“Are you sure,” Liam hesitated. “Are you sure we can’t keep Cubby?” He asked, wiping a finger under the little boy’s mouth where a drop of baby food had escaped. Derek’s eyes glanced at Sophie who was unreadable under her sunglasses.

 

“It’s complicated, Li,” Derek said, dishing up plates of lunch. “We have to make sure that we find his parents,” he said, setting a plate in front of Sophie.

 

“What if we don’t? What happens to him then?” Liam asked.

 

“Then we change from looking for his parents to looking for someone who’s ready to take him in,” Derek said, for lack of a better explanation. “This isn’t the first time a cub has been dropped off and it won’t be the last.” He knew Sophie was having a hard time with everything going on, but he wished he could get _some_ kind of reaction from her.

 

“I always wanted a little brother,” Liam said quietly. “Thought maybe I could be the brother I always wished I had,” he added. "I don't know if that makes sense."

  
Derek eyed the little one carefully as he toddled over on shaky legs from Liam to Sophie, who intercepted him and brought Cubby into her chest, kissing all over his pudgy little face.

 

It was natural for Derek to want to keep Cubby. He was an abandoned baby who needed a family that was going to understand who he was – _what he was_ and help guide him through it. Just as Isaac and Liam needed.

 

Additionally, Derek wanted a baby, he wanted a baby _bad_. Here was one ripe for the picking. Of course he was going to do everything he could to find Cubby’s parents, but he wanted to bring him home. Paint a room, set up a perfect nursery, bring the baby to the courthouse and give him the Hale name and be his father.

 

He hoped his last shot at finding Cubby’s parents would come through, but he also hoped it didn’t.

 

[][][]

 

It didn’t take long for Cubby to fall asleep when they got home that evening. After a long day of running around the lake, eating solid foods and even trying a few bites of vanilla soft serve, he crashed after taking a bottle and a little rocking from Sophie.

 

Sophie showered after getting the baby down to bed, tiptoeing around the room and checking in on him periodically as she towel-dried her hair. Changing into a pair of Derek’s boxers and one of his tees, she crawled into bed as she carefully eyed Ollie who stepped around the pack’n play and sniffed it before running out.

 

Derek entered the bedroom shortly after, exhaling softly.

 

“Ollie is going to sleep with Liam tonight,” he whispered, “seems like that might become a regular occurrence.” He disrobed down to his boxers, grabbing his cell phone and setting an alarm before letting his body sink into the mattress. She could feel the tension in his shoulders as he turned over to face her. “I don’t think Nina is too pleased with Ollie.” He relaxed further as Sophie nudged her way under his chin, molding her body to his.

 

They laid together in silence for a few minutes; just letting the stress of the last few days melt away as they listened to Cubby’s soft puffs of breath from where he slept.

 

“Tell me what you’re thinking,” he whispered, running a hand up her back, squeezing the back of her neck gently. He didn’t pressure her as she took a moment to collect her thoughts.

 

“I don’t know what to do, Der,” she said quietly. “I have so many conflicting emotions and I don’t know how to handle any of them.”

 

“What do you _want_ , Soph?” He asked.

 

“I want Cubby to be loved and taken care of,” she replied automatically. “I want to find his parents.”

 

“What do you _not_ want?” He followed.

 

“I don’t want him to ever know that at some point in his life, his mother abandoned him,” she replied. “It’s the worst feeling in the entire world,” she finished with a whisper.

 

Derek thought it best to let her think for a moment, running a hand up and down her back and arms comfortingly. He couldn’t comment on the situation. His mother loved him very dearly and he couldn’t imagine what it would be like to never have her in his life. His mother was taken away from him, she didn’t choose to leave him.

 

“I want him to be with his family, but…” She hesitated. “If he can’t be with his family, I want him to be with us, I mean that much is obvious,” she seemed so conflicted. “But at the same time, are we ready for this? I mean, we’ve barely even been together for a year, we’re not even engaged, I mean I don’t even live here during the school year,” she listed off. “What would we tell my Dad, huh? _Hi Daddy, just so you know, Derek and I adopted a little baby from the hospital even though we’re not married or anything_.”

 

He stayed quiet, still just letting her get out all of the things she was harboring over the past few days.

 

“I don’t know how to be a Mom,” she said quietly. “You’re such a natural with the boys and you’ve pretty much been their Dad for years now in Isaac’s case,” she added. “I don’t know how to be a Mom to a _baby_. But my fear of him being alone outweighs my insecurities.” Derek did exactly what she wanted, he just held her as she tried to sort out her thoughts. “I don’t know what to think, Der.”

 

Derek gave her another few moments to digest her thoughts.

 

“I think, we have to be a united front on this, we have to be a team,” he began. “If we cannot locate his pack, do we make this house his home?” Derek asked. “Because if that’s what you want, we can go to City Hall tomorrow morning and get married. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you're the person I'm going to spend the rest of my life with.” He explained. “If you don’t think we can handle Cubby right now, I will work as hard as possible to find him a pack to go to. I will drive all over this country if I have to.”

 

“What do you want?” Sophie asked.

 

“I want Cubby to be happy and I know we can do that for him,” Derek replied, “but it’s got to be you and I.” He added, “I’d never force you into doing something like this because it’s what I want and I’m not going to resent you if it’s not what you want.” He reassured. “If we decide we can handle it, you and I will figure it out together. You’d never be alone, it would be a team effort.”

 

Sophie stroked a hand up and down his chest softly, the picture in her mind becoming clearer and clearer.

 

“Then I guess, we should be a family,” she concluded.

 

“I guess we should,” he dropped a kiss to the top of her head.

 

[][][]

 

A week passed since Sophie and Derek decided the baby boy would be a permanent fixture in their home. It brought a heavy sense of relief to hear from the last possible pack nearby that they didn’t know whom Cubby could have belonged to.

 

In blue denim and casual tops, they quietly made their way down to City Hall the following Monday, signing a marriage license with the promise of having a real ceremony sometime in the future. For now, the marriage made it a bit easier for John Stilinski to push adoption papers through the system. Derek promised he would give Sophie the dream wedding she deserved, but for now, she was happy to be Mrs. Hale.

 

Hudson Alexander Hale, would be official any day now after their final court hearing. They couldn’t have been more thankful for John and Melissa’s help as they discreetly assisted in making the baby theirs.

 

“What’s Daddy doing, huh?” Sophie bounced Hudson on her hip as she walked down the hall to Derek’s old bedroom on the second floor where all the windows were propped open and the radio was playing from an old boombox. Inside, Derek was diligently working away on painting the bedroom a soft green that would compliment the white crib and changing table that were on their way from Pottery Barn. “Hi, Daddy.” Sophie smiled, stopping in the doorway. Derek paused, dropping his roller into the pan and crossing the room.

 

“Look at this handsome boy,” Derek smiled upon seeing Hudson who greeted Derek’s happy voice with a big, drooly smile. Derek reached for the infant, who reached back and was glad to be in Derek’s arms. “Are we having a good moring, Huddy?” He asked.

 

“Huds had a bottle and then we went swimming,” she said, ticking his little sock-clad toes. “Then we took a cat nap with Nina on the couch,” she finished.

 

“Wow, big morning!” Derek smiled, kissing Hudson’s pudgy cheek. Sophie bit her lip softly as she watched Derek play with Hudson. It made her ovaries do backflips as she watched Derek with Hudson.

 

“Baba,” Hudson said, hearing Sophie say the word bottle, “ah-baba.”

 

“That’s right, Huddy! A bottle!” Derek laughed.

 

Later that afternoon, they’d head to Sophie’s, bringing over the last of her things as she officially moved into the big house. Her lease at the two-bedroom cottage was up in three weeks anyway, and though she was going to be given first preference to renew, her landlords were thrilled to hear she’d found love and a family in Beacon Hills.

 

Derek finished painting the nursery shortly after the visit from some of his favorite people and was grabbing a water bottle from the fridge. Liam and Isaac whisked Hudson out to the backyard following his afternoon nap to play in the grass – one of the little boy’s favorite pastimes.

 

Derek hardly knew what hit him when Sophie practically threw herself on him, smashing her lips to his.

 

“Soph,” he practically choked out as she reached a hand down his basketball shorts, stroking his cock excitedly.

 

“I need you,” she said as she paused, leaning down to kiss his neck. “I need you right now,” she demanded. She surprised him even further as she ripped open the door to the walk-in pantry, yanking him in behind her and pulling his shorts down to his ankles.

 

“Sophie!” He yelped as she enveloped his cock in her mouth, sucking enthusiastically and rolling his balls between her fingers gently. “Fuck,” he clutched onto the shelf behind him. A deep shudder ran through him as she took him as deep as possible into the back of her throat. “Okay, okay, okay,” he chanted urging her up. She stood, wrapping her arms around the back of Derek’s shoulders and hoisting her up.

 

Sophie braced her feet on the shelves, biting down on Derek’s earlobe as she sunk onto him.

  
“Fuck,” she whimpered, throwing her head back, “fuck me, Derek,” she all but commanded. Derek wasn’t going to be one to deny her wishes. “Shit,” she nearly screamed as he drew out before pounding into her again. “Yeah,” she breathed, “that’s what I want.”

 

“What’s got Mommy all riled up, huh?” He teased, thrusting up into her and taking sick pleasure in watching her eyes roll back. “So worked up you pushed me in here?” He asked, not minding the way she grasped desperately at the back of his neck.

 

Sophie was just thankful for Derek’s strength and stamina, hitting every spot she needed itched inside of her. She bit into his neck as he brought a palm down against her backside, squealing loudly.

 

“You’re so wet,” he panted, swirling his fingertips in her sex before teasing her clit, “fuck you feel amazing.”

 

“Der, cum inside of me,” she begged before kissing him soundly, hips undulating as she avoided the persistent touch of his fingers against her overwhelmed bundle of nerves.

 

“You want me to cum inside of you?” He asked, jumping as she reached down and grabbed at his ass forcefully.

  
“Uh huh,” she nodded, practically delirious. The flutter of her muscles pulling against him brought him over the edge, jerking softly as he came. He gently set her down on her feet, cradling her for a moment as she found her legs. Sophie quickly pulled her panties and shorts up, pecking his cheek quickly before ducking out of the pantry. “Thanks, baby.” She called, hustling up the stairs to get to the bathroom.

 

Derek ran a hand through his hair, not sure what to make of what just happened.

 

He supposed he wouldn’t complain.


	24. Parenting 101

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> big big big thanks to everyone who commented on the last chapter!
> 
> another long one today! let me know what you think!  
> xx

“Ba ba ba ba,” Derek woke up to a small hand rubbing over the hair of his beard, pulling a smile across his lips as he was greeted with a sleepy-headed Hudson. Derek pulled the baby to his chest, before sitting him up on his tummy, his short legs straddling Derek’s tummy.

 

“Naked baby,” Derek laughed at the little boy who bounced up and down with a tiny toothy smile. “Is Mama in the shower?” He asked Hudson, who leaned forward, placing his hands back on Derek’s cheeks. “Is she in the shower?” He asked again. “What should we do today, huh? Daddy’s got the whole day off from work.”

 

Derek winced as Hudson nibbled on his jaw.

 

“Hey, hey, hey,” he chided, gently pulling him back. “No biting Daddy,” he said sternly.

 

“Bah!” Hudson responded, taking a nosedive again for Derek’s face.

 

“Huddy!” Derek laughed, “no biting!” He insisted, sitting the baby up again.

 

He watched as Hudson’s face crumpled, lower lip wobbling and little cheeks turning pink.

 

“It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay,” Derek flipped, hushing the baby and bouncing him softly. “I’m sorry, Huddy,” he apologized, kissing all over Hudson’s scrunched face.

 

“What did Daddy do, huh?” Sophie asked, sauntering into the bedroom in her short, silk robe, tying it about the waist as her wet hair hung over her shoulder. Hudson turned upon hearing Sophie’s voice, reaching his hands up to her with his same, pathetic expression. “Daddy being mean, Huddy?” She asked, picking him up and setting him on her hip.

 

Derek rolled his eyes, but looked up at Sophie adoringly as she bounced with Hudson on her hip, one of his hands in hers as she swayed from side to side.

 

“Who’s Mama’s boy?” She asked, giggling as Hudson head-butted her chin and nuzzled into her neck – something she learned was an inherent characteristic for cubs.

 

“Told you he’s in love with you,” Derek teased.

 

“He should be, I’m his Mama,” she teased back. “Now, do we think Daddy will make us some pancakes?” She asked Hudson, kissing his pudgy cheek.

 

“Okay, I see how it is, Daddy gets no love but has to make breakfast,” Derek said, rolling out of bed. He pressed a kiss to Hudson’s head, gave Sophie’s butt a squeeze and headed downstairs to see if they had any blueberries lying around.

 

Sophie set Hudson down in the middle of the bed, changing quickly into a pair of denim shorts and a plain white tee before heading downstairs to the nursery.

 

After having Hudson in their custody for the last four weeks, they had gotten pretty good at nailing down his new schedule. She knew that would change again in a few weeks when they all got used to the baby sleeping in the nursery instead of the master bedroom. They’d be trying that for the first time tonight.

  
Even Liam and Isaac helped out when they weren’t too busy with friends or practices. She knew that would change when school started, and was thankful for the help while it lasted.

 

“What a handsome boy!” She smiled as she picked up a freshly changed baby dressed in little khaki joggers and a black t-shirt, complete with a tiny pair of socks that looked like little converse sneakers. “Maybe we can get Daddy to match you today,” she kissed his cheek as she walked downstairs.

 

“Ah baba,” Hudson said, wiggling in Sophie’s arms as he saw the bottle in Isaac’s hands.

 

“Baby bro!” Isaac laughed, causing Hudson to break out into a big smile, making himself hard to hang on to as he tried his best to get to Isaac.

 

“Okay, geez!” Sophie laughed, handing Hudson to the oldest of the Hale boys. Isaac deposited the baby into his high chair before handing him his bottle. They all watched as Hudson relaxed against the back of his chair, sucking down the formula as Derek flipped pancakes.

 

Ollie practically skipped over, planting himself at Hudson’s feet and nibbling at his toes. He knew if he sat there long enough, he’d get a snack of whatever Hudson threw to the floor. It was practically guaranteed.

 

Soon, they were all sitting around the kitchen counter, enjoying breakfast. Even Hudson got just a small drizzle of syrup on his little pieces of pancake.

 

“So boys, what’s on the schedule for today?” Sophie asked.

 

“Me and Li are going to the batting cage,” Isaac said. Both Derek and Sophie were too wrapped up in watching Hudson shove his fists into his mouth to lick off the syrup to notice the look the boys exchanged.

 

“Mo!” He demanded, slamming his hands on his tray and sending pancake down to the floor where Ollie happily ate up the treat.

 

“More?” Derek asked while he mashed up a banana for the baby.

 

“And then Scott is going to have some people over,” Isaac said, looking around and making eye contact with Liam who widened his eyes a bit. They were getting away with it.

 

“That sounds fun,” Sophie smiled, leaning down to kiss Hudson’s pudgy cheek. “Would someone be able to give Ollie a bath before you go?” She said, grimacing at the little rottie who was sticky with maple syrup.

  
“I can,” Liam volunteered. It couldn’t hurt to be helpful. Plus, he had pretty much taken Ollie as his own and did most of his caretaking.

 

“Bro, that’s not how you do it,” Isaac said, helping Hudson in his attempts to fist several pieces of his breakfast and shove them into his mouth at once.

 

“What are you guys doing today?” Liam asked, finishing up his breakfast and grabbing a slice of bacon from Isaac’s plate. Sophie bit her lip and looked over at Derek.

 

“Today we are Skyping with my Dad,” she said, taking a long drink of her water. “And then, assuming we survive that, we are gonna bring Huddy out shopping.” She said, giving the baby’s little foot a tickle.

 

“We’re probably going to crash at Scott’s tonight, so we’ll probably see you tomorrow,” Isaac interjected quickly.

 

“Sounds good! Take your phones, make good decisions,” Sophie laughed, knowing she didn’t have to worry about them at Scott’s. At least, she never had to.

 

[][][]

 

“Don’t look so nervous,” Sophie said, running a hand through Derek’s hair. It was still damp from his bath with Hudson that was desperately needed after breakfast. “It’s going to… be okay,” she said with a sigh. “If he figures out how to get his Skype to work, it will be a miracle.”

 

Not two moments later did she hear the trademark ringing come from her MacBook.

 

“Be cool, stick to the plan.” She said quickly before answering and watching as both their image and her father’s appeared on the screen. “Hi Daddy!” She greeted with an award-winning smile. Her husband, however, was sweating bullets next to her.

 

“Hey sweetheart,” David McLaren smiled at his daughter. “Derek,” he greeted.

 

“Hi David,” Derek smiled in return. “How’s Miami?” He asked.

 

“Hot as it gets with no sign of letting up,” Detective McLaren replied. “What’s new in Beacon Hills?” He asked. It was so familiar and comforting to see her father in his uniform. She was certain a member of his office helped him set up the Skype account before their planned date.

 

“Beacon Hills is good, we’ve gotten really good use out of Derek’s pool this summer,” she smiled. “But Daddy, we wanted to talk to you today because we have some news for you,” she began.

 

“Oh yeah? What could that be?” He asked, certain that he was finally going to get to hear that Derek finally popped the question, months after he asked for Sophie’s hand.

 

“Well, Daddy,” Sophie began, “in May and June, I decided to volunteer at the hospital here where Melissa works because there was a great need for volunteers,” she said evenly.

 

“That’s my girl,” David smiled proudly.

 

“And when I was volunteering,” she hesitated, “there was a child that was surrendered and being treated for dehydration and malnourishment,” she elaborated. “Just a little baby boy, not even a year old,” she went on. “And after we met him, we found out that he was abandoned by his mother,” she exhaled. “We also found out that he was going to need… more attention than your average child.”

 

This was definitely not going the way David imagined the call would go. Sophie cleared her throat softly, looking at Derek.

 

“After a lot of thinking and talking with Liam and Isaac,” Derek piped up. David knew that Derek was Isaac and Liam’s legal guardian after officially adopting them. “We decided to make the baby a part of our family before he could be entered into the foster system. So we adopted him.”

 

“You adopted a baby,” David parroted back.

 

“Yes, Daddy,” Sophie nodded. “And in order to make that as smooth a process as possible, we got married.” She added. She watched as her father sat, unblinking as he looked into the camera.

 

“You got married?” His face looked like a gaping fish out of water. She’d never seen her Dad try so hard to keep his cool.

 

“Yes, sir.” Derek nodded.

 

“Just a courthouse wedding to help the process,” Sophie reassured. “We still plan to have our ceremony and reception and everything when all of the dust settles, maybe next summer.” She offered details that she and Derek hadn’t quiet even hammered out yet. David was silent for a beat. “Daddy?” She asked meekly, feeling like a thirteen year old girl again.

 

“I can’t say I’m not a bit shocked,” he said evenly. “You are both adults who can make their own decisions. I’m just… surprised, this doesn’t seem like you, Sophie.” David was worried about Derek’s influence on his daughter. Just how much of this was her idea?

 

“I promise, Daddy, this was extremely well thought-out and carefully planned, we didn’t make any hasty decisions,” she insisted. “We wanted to tell you more and sooner, but it really moved very quickly, in the matter of two weeks.” She added.

 

“You’re married before your first year together, wow,” David repeated. “And now a baby,” he said, sounding like he was mostly talking to himself.

 

“We’re really happy, Daddy,” Sophie replied, giving Derek’s hand a squeeze. “Hudson is the most perfect little boy and he _needed_ a family,” she gave Derek a watery smile.

 

“We’d love for you to come out and meet him,” Derek added. “It would be great for him to meet his Grandpa.” He tried another angle.

 

“Grandpa,” David’s eyes widened at the word, not something he thought he’d be hearing quite yet. “Well, what’s done is done,” he sighed, “time to move forward,” he acknowledged. “Can I see the little guy?” He asked.

 

“He’s napping now, but I will send you a hundred photos,” Sophie said immediately, “and we can call you as soon as he wakes up,” she added. “You’re going to love him as much as we do,” she said confidently.

 

At least her call with Lauren earlier that week went smoothly. Loud – incredibly loud, but smoothly.

 

So far, it seemed they survived

 

[][][]

 

Now that the most important people in their lives knew about Hudson, they felt a little more free to walk around town with their baby and they were taking advantage of it. That, and she loved seeing Derek push Hudson in his stroller down the sidewalk. She trailed alongside happily with her iced soy chai in her hand and her new Ray Bans on her face.

 

“Baby, turn in here,” she pointed out the nursery store just a few blocks down from Jade Temple. “This is the place.” It was actually the only place for baby gear in Beacon Hills as far as specialty stores go.

 

Derek happily parked his stroller by the door and took Hudson on his hip as he walked through the door. Hudson was having a great time clutching on to Derek’s tee – matching black one to his own little top. Sophie sorted through little onesies, picking up a few that she could pair with different pairs of shorts they already had.

 

“Mama,” Derek called, picking up a little set of zip-up footed pajamas. “Mama, look.” He called, holding out the onesies. Sophie turned to inspect Derek’s find. It was a little brown fur pajama set with a little set of triangle ears on top, and if she squinted, it looked like a little wolf.

 

“Oh, we have to get that,” she insisted. “I found some, too.” She held up the little outfits.

 

“I’m going to look for some teething rings,” he said, crossing the store, not even flinching when Hudson began to suck on his fingers, chewing and gnawing on Derek’s knuckles.

 

Sophie bit her lip and paused as she passed the newborn clothes. They were so impossibly tiny and delicate. Little pink dresses and tiny blue overalls. Onesies that she couldn’t even fit her hand into. Her heart throbbed softly and she abandoned the clothes, joining her husband again.

 

“We’re getting these,” Derek motioned to the rubbery disks that were now in Huddy’s mouth.

 

“Let me see that handsome boy,” she said, reaching for the baby and handing over her little finds to Derek. “Hi beautiful,” she instantly felt more relaxed with the boy in her arms. “Mama loves you,” she immediately began to sway back and forth, kissing his cheek. “Mama loves you so much,” she said, pressing her forehead to his.

  
Derek grinned, gathering up their purchases and taking them to the counter. He’d do anything to make Sophie happy – including buying a onesie that said **_the snuggle is real_**.

 

Late that night, long after Hudson had gone to sleep for the evening, Sophie and Derek laid in bed, clung together tightly as he rocked into her gently from behind. She bit down on Derek’s hand as she came, stifling a loud moan.

 

Derek rubbed her clit slowly as she came down from her high as he found his own climax, finishing deep inside of her.

 

“No,” she breathed as he moved to pull out of her a few moments later. “Stay?” She asked softly.

 

“Okay,” he kissed the side of her neck. “You okay, Soph?” He asked.

 

“I love you,” she turned her head to face him a little better.

 

“I love you, too, Soph,” he replied. “I know things have been crazy the past few weeks, but there is no one else I’d rather be on this adventure on.” He kissed her neck again.

 

“Even when we’re old and we have five kids running around, can we still have hot sex?” She asked, making him toss his head back with a laugh. “Will you still let me jump you in the pantry and will you still take me to hockey games and spontaneous trips to the city?” She asked.

 

“You’re not going to be able to keep me off of you,” he rocked into her gently, a hand trailing up her flat stomach to her breasts and squeezing one. “We’re going to embarrass the crap out of our kids with our PDA. I’ll take you on a trip every weekend.” Sophie gazed over the monitor on her nightstand, seeing Hudson sound asleep in his crib downstairs. “You and the babies are never going to want for anything.”

 

“When do we have to start worrying about Hudson’s wolf?” She asked, carefully pulling herself off of Derek and turning to face him.

 

“He’s already presented, which is good,” Derek began. “He’ll scent mark and want to be around us a lot as he grows and then he’ll be able to shift when he’s around five,” he explained. “So we’ve got some time to worry some more before anything happens.” He teased.

 

“I want to do it all with you,” she said, kissing him softly. “I want to travel the world and raise babies and teach them to be good people with you.”

 

“Good, because we’re already on our way.”

 

Just as they were settling into a bed – early for once – Derek’s cell rang.

 

“John?” He asked, surprised to get a call from the Sherriff that late. “They did what?” He asked, turning to look at Sophie with wide eyes. “At Scott’s house?” He asked, still surprised. “I will be there in a little bit,” he sighed, “thanks for calling.” He ended the call and ran a hand over his face. There went his shot at getting some sleep.

 

“What’s going on?” Sophie asked tiredly.

 

“Go back to sleep, baby,” Derek kissed her cheek. “I’ve got to go pick up the kids from the police station.”

 

“The police station?” She asked, waking up a little more.

 

“They threw a huge party at Allie’s,” Derek sighed. “Damaged property and underage drinking.”

 

“Where’s Liam?” She asked worriedly, sitting up and rubbing her eye. “Who was watching him?” She asked.

 

“He’s with them and it sounds like he’s equally as guilty,” Derek replied, “everyone’s fine, but Chris Argent came home to a huge rager and a lot of broken items.” Sophie sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I’m going to handle it tonight and then lay into them tomorrow morning, okay? You go back to sleep,” he insisted.

 

“You know what? We should leave them there,” she said seriously. “Let them spend the night and they’ll never want to end up there again.”

 

Derek looked down at his now wife and was surprised to hear those words come out of her mouth. Surprised and satisfied.

 

“I’ll call the Sheriff back.”


	25. Stay With Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks again to all who commented! i love reading them!
> 
> DISCLAIMER: BIG time jump after this chapter, so don't get confused!
> 
> let me know what you think!
> 
> xx

Three days after the party at Allie’s house and the boys were just starting their punishment. They’d be doing labor for Derek’s landscaping jobs for the next three weeks to pay back Chris Argent for what Derek came to learn was broken windows and ruined furniture.

 

Even though the boys were far form the only kids at the party, as there were upwards of seventy teens at the house, they were certainly taking the brunt of the guilt.

 

Liam and Isaac quickly realized that they could survive Derek’s anger and frustration, but they couldn’t survive Sophie’s disappointment in them.

 

Sophie could understand Derek’s appreciation for John Stilinski and their relationship that would keep the incident off of the boys’ record and wouldn’t affect Stiles and Scott’s admission into San Jose State University. It was only a month until they’d really have to start ramping up efforts and buying sheets before making the hour-long drive to their dorms. She would have hated for them to lose financial aid weeks before their freshman year.

 

Isaac also lost the keys to his Touareg for three weeks and was back to asking Derek and Sophie for rides to get anywhere.

 

Derek tried to be fairly even in his punishment, but he was harder on Isaac for allowing Liam to get involved and failing to set a good example.

 

Today, Sophie and Hudson were swimming in the backyard while Derek worked on setting up the new swing set in the far corner of the yard with a toddler swing for Hudson and a regular one for when he got older.

 

“Ba ba ba ba!” Hudson squealed as she splashed the water around him. It was one of the hottest Saturdays of the year in mid-July and Sophie was more thankful than ever to have the pool.

 

“Are you singin’ for me, Huddy?” Derek asked, piecing together framework.

 

“Ba ba ba!” He called back, giggling wildly and making the two adults laugh, too. Hudson laughed as Sophie twirled him in the water, flapping his arms complete with his little water wings.

 

“You’re such a good singer!” Derek laughed, having a hard time focusing on the task at hand when his wife and the eternal ball of sunshine were in the pool where it was nice and cool.

 

Isaac and Liam were over on a job site, pulling weeds, mowing lawns and treating tree trunks.

 

“Daddy’s making you a swing set, Huds,” Sophie said, kissing his cheek and getting sunscreen all over her lips. “Isn’t he a good Daddy?” She asked.

 

“Dada,” Hudson confirmed, making Sophie nearly drop him in the water. Derek dove into the pool moments later.

 

“Did you say Daddy?” Sophie asked as Derek emerged beside them, a blinding smile on his face.

 

“Dada, da-da!” He giggled as she bounced him.

 

“Where’s Daddy?” She asked, her smile overtaking her face. Hudson swung around, facing Derek with his dimples on full display.

 

“Dadada,” He pronounced, smacking Derek in the face with his little fist.

 

“That’s right!” He laughed, reaching for the baby and kissing all over his face. “I’m Daddy,” he declared, “that’s me!” He said, completely and entirely overjoyed. “Where’s Mama?” He asked, Hudson still loving being the center of attention.

 

“Dada,” Hudson parroted again.

 

“Mama,” Derek grinned, turning so the baby was looking over at Sophie.

 

“Dada,” he insisted, smacking Derek in the face again.

 

“I tried,” Derek said, looking over at his wife.

 

“Yeah, yeah, he just loves his Daddy as much as I do,” Sophie said, leaning forward to kiss his lips in a sweet peck.

 

“Give Mama kisses,” Derek told Hudson, who complied happily, planting a few open-mouth ‘kisses’ on Sophie’s cheek.

 

“Thank you, Huddy,” she laughed.

 

“Look at our guard dog,” Derek said, looking over at Ollie who was happily tucked into the shade of his doghouse that Derek built – complete with fan per Sophie’s insistence.

 

“That is one happy puppy,” she grinned, “just like this happy puppy!” She bounced Hudson in her arms. “Who is a happy puppy?” She asked, kissing his face.

 

“Just about time to pick up the delinquents,” Derek sighed, not wanting to leave the pool quiet yet.

 

“Don’t call them that,” she scolded with an eye roll. “They feel terrible and they’re serving their time,” she replied.

 

“Kids are so dumb,” He said, dipping back and dunking his head under water to cool off.

 

“You were never a dumb kid, right?” She asked, piquing her eyebrow.

 

“Never,” he shook his head, “and baby isn’t going to be a dumb kid either, are you?” He asked.

  
“Dada!” Hudson agreed.

 

Soon, the entirety of the household was crowded around the pool, the boys cooling off from another full day of work. Derek stood at the grill in his swim shorts, checking on the ribs and listening to his family playing in the pool.

 

Even when they drove him crazy and made bad choices, they were still his family and meant more to him than anything else.

 

[][][]

 

On a cooler afternoon a few days later, Derek wandered out to the backyard in the late afternoon to see Sophie and Hudson snuggled up in the hammock with Liam resting his head on Sophie’s shoulder. The hammock swayed back and forth and the older two of the group whispered between one another as Sophie held a bottle to Hudson’s mouth.

 

He approached and watched as Liam kissed Sophie’s cheek before carefully and slowly climbing out of the apparatus.

 

“Dessert in the freezer,” Derek said, ruffling Liam’s hair as the crossed paths in the yard.

 

“Thanks, Der,” Liam smiled, heading back up to the house.

 

“Room for one more?” Derek asked, the space behind Sophie looking incredibly inviting.

 

“As long as you don’t tip us out, you’re welcome to join,” she said, adjusting her feet under the soft blanket that pooled near the bottom of the hammock. With careful grace and dignity, Derek wedged himself alongside of her, drawing her back to his chest as Hudson teetered between awake and asleep. The baby half-heartedly sucked at his bottle as he rest his head on Sophie’s chest, his pudgy little fist gripping her collarbone gently.

 

“This is nice,” he said, kissing the top of her head.

 

“This is my new favorite place in the world,” she agreed, trailing a finger up Hudson’s sock-clad foot.

 

“He already seems bigger,” Derek said, placing a hand on Hudson’s back. He watched as the toddler slowly sucked on his nighttime bottle.

 

“He’s becoming a little boy instead of a baby,” Sophie said quietly, “I don’t want him to grow up,” she pouted.

 

“Gonna be a big bad one-year-old soon,” Derek agreed. They were certain his real birthday was in August, but not sure which day, so they picked the fourth – the same day of the month that they found him at BHMH.

 

Hudson whined as Sophie readjusted her shoulders.

 

“I know, baby,” she cooed, “Mama’s got you,” she assured, cradling him in her arms as he gave up on the bottle all together. “Mama’s got you.”

 

That evening Hudson finally went down in his crib after another bottle and plenty of rocking from Sophie, the matriarch of the Hale house entered her bedroom to see Derek standing near the window that overlooked the yard and woods.

 

“Baby?” She asked, already stripping down for bed and twirling her hair up on top of her head into a messy little bun.

 

“It’s a full moon tonight,” he said with a roll of his shoulders.

 

“Is it?” She bit her lip, crawling into bed. “Does the big puppy need a run?” She asked, kneeling on the fur throw atop their bed.

 

“Not quite,” he said, stalking toward the bed in a way that made him look _truly_ animal. “But there is something we’ve been needing to do,” he said, stopping at the frame of the bed and reaching for the hem of his shirt.

 

“ _We_ , huh?” She bit her lip, taking in his physique as he peeled his shirt up and over his head. He paused after tossing his shirt to the ground.

 

“You still… want to, right?” He asked, just a hint of insecurity in his voice. Sophie rolled her eyes, crawling closer to him and hooking her fingers through his belt loops.

 

“No, it sounds like too much commitment,” she shrugged. “I mean, I know we moved in together, got married and are raising a baby… but I just don’t know if I’m _that_ into you.” She cocked a hip to the side. She then squealed as Derek pinned her to the mattress. “Of course I want you to claim me you big idiot,” she laughed, biting into his neck gently. She shivered at the resounding growl that emitted from his chest.

 

“I’ve been waiting so long for this,” he said, kissing up from her exposed collarbone to her neck and then her lips.

 

“I’ve always been yours, Derek, nothing would ever change that,” she cupped his face in her hands. “Nothing’s ever going to change that.” She kissed him soundly.

 

“We’re in this together – forever,” he whispered back to her.

 

It was a feeling unlike any other as he finally claimed her under the light of the full moon. He had never felt so at peace and complete in his life. Even when the Hale pack had been at it’s largest years ago, he’d never felt this kind of purpose surging through him as he did then.

 

She was his to mate, protect and stand beside forever.

 

As dawn broke the next morning, Derek curled protectively around Sophie, protecting his mate from any possible dangers that lurked in the bedroom. Primal acts always made his base instincts act up and it wasn’t until she grunted and jabbed him in the ribs that he let up a bit.

 

“Woflman, the human needs to breathe,” she grumbled. “C’mon lurch, Mama needs to tinkle and check on our puppy.”

 

Derek growled lowly, rubbing his face into her neck and inhaling deeply.

 

“Good puppy,” she grinned sleepily, kissing the top of his head. He reluctantly let go of her and watched with a keen eye as she crossed the room to the bathroom momentarily before exiting their den, her body draped only in one of his tees.

 

He tracked her movements with his hearing, her steps down the stairs and to the hallway – into the nursery and pausing at the edge of the crib where their cub was still fast asleep.

  
When she returned to the bedroom, he all but demanded her presence in his arms, sticking them out thusly with a determined look on his face.

 

“Cubby is still sleeping,” she smiled, tucking herself into Derek’s arms again.

 

“Cubs,” he murmured against her neck. “More cubs,” he added.

 

“We have to wait a little bit,” she insisted, tipping her head back to kiss his cheek. “I want to get Hudson out of diapers before we have another baby to change,” she informed. “And I want that wedding you keep saying you’re going to give me. I think Daddy will have an aneurysm if I get pregnant right away,” she laughed.

 

Derek pressed a hard kiss to her temple, rolling out of bed and padding over to his dresser, grabbing the little emerald velvet box and padding back to the bed.

 

“What ya got?” She asked, tilting her head, though she had a good idea. Derek kneeled on the bed, poising himself over her straddling her hips.

 

“My grandpa made this ring for my grandma with his own two hands over a hundred years ago,” he opened the small box to reveal a ring that took Sophie’s breath away. There, tucked into the layers of velvet, was a solitaire three-carat diamond on a gold band. It shone like it was brand new. “Before she passed away, he gave it to me and told me that one day I’d find someone who brought me as much happiness and love as she brought him.” He smiled at the memory. He was a teen then and didn’t think he’d ever get a chance to find his real mate.

 

“Der,” she breathed, heart fluttering.

 

“When I asked your father for his permission months ago, he told me that the moment I put a ring on your finger, you were mine to cherish and protect,” he added, watching as tears pooled in her eyes and a wide smile pulled across her lips. “He didn’t know that I felt that way the moment I saw you in the grocery store over a year ago, too cool to give me your number,” he laughed, making her giggle as well. “It’s not going to be perfect, and I know there will times that it will be hard,” he began, “but you’ve never judged me, you made my family your own and you know me better than anyone else – inside and out – and still stayed. Will you stay with me forever?” He asked willfully.

 

“Of course,” she said with a watery laugh.

 

“Will you marry me, Sophie McLaren?” He asked, a little lightheaded.

 

“Yes!” She practically shouted, making them both laugh as he slid the ring on her finger, moments before she practically threw herself on him, knocking him back on his butt. “You know I will,” she breathed, pressing her forehead against his.

 

“Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you, Sophie,” he promised, “I’m going to make you the happiest woman in the world.”

 

“I already am.”


	26. I Guess This Is Growing Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A REMINDER: this includes a time jump!
> 
>  
> 
> please leave a comment if you're enjoying the story. was a little bummed to not get any on the last post.
> 
> good luck with your monday!
> 
> xx

They were San Francisco Giants fans now. They had a choice between San Francisco and Oakland, but it came down to color scheme for Sophie and they were officially Giants fans. With one of their last family trips while Isaac was still in the house, they drove out to San Francisco for the weekend and had great seats to the Giants/Rangers game.

 

“Mama, I want,” Hudson insisted, pointing to the man that was carrying poles of cotton candy up and down the stadium stairs.

 

“You just finished a bag of cotton candy, dude,” Liam laughed, wiping up some of the sticky blue sugar from around the newly two-year-old’s mouth. Hudson, like the rest of his family, was dressed in black and orange, sitting like a very patient boy in his Daddy’s lap as Derek attempted to explain what was happening on the field in front of them.

 

“Watch, Huddy, he’s going to hit the ball,” Derek said, pointing out the batter and following the path of the baseball with his finger.

 

“Hit da ball,” Hudson mumbled to himself, rolling the hem of Derek’s jersey in his fingers.

 

“How you feelin’, Mama?” Isaac asked, putting his hand on Sophie’s knee.

 

At sixth months pregnant, Sophie was doing surprisingly well in the summer heat.

 

“I really want a frozen lemonade, but I know the moment I get one, I have to share it with this one,” she jabbed a thumb in Hudson’s direction.

 

“You want me to get a couple and we can family-style it?” Isaac suggested.

 

“That would be great,” Sophie smiled, Derek peeling a fifty-dollar bill from his wallet and handing it over to the oldest Hale kid.

 

“Will you grab some waters, too?” He asked, to which Isaac nodded.

 

“I’ll go, too,” Liam hopped up, following Isaac up the stairs. Hudson watched with a little scowl on his face as his older brothers left their seats.

 

“Ize,” he complained, “Ize go.”

 

“Ize is coming back,” Sophie reassured, running a hand through his wavy brunette hair that was long enough to reach his shoulders. She simply couldn’t bring herself to cut it. He looked like the cutest little California baby with his tan and long hair.

 

“Baby,” he said, placing a hand on his Mama’s tummy. “My baby.”

 

“You’re right, that’s your baby,” Derek grinned, kissing Hudson’s cheek.

 

Derek was glowing more throughout Sophie’s pregnancy than she was. So far, she was just sweating a bit. She didn’t mind as long as she got to stare at her husband in a fitted black Giants jersey.

 

By the fifth inning, Hudson was asleep in Derek’s arms, a pacifier between his lips and his impossibly long lashes spread across the tops of his cheeks.

 

In a blowout win, the family of five headed back to their hotel by foot, walking among the throng of Giants fans leaving the stadium. Sophie looked a few feet down the sidewalk at Derek, who was gladly drinking a cold Dasani with Hudson snug in his carrier that Derek wore like a backpack. Hudson was still dead asleep with his pacifier in and leaning his head against Derek’s shoulder. They didn’t use the carrier very often now that Hudson was growing up, but it was easier than the stroller in the city. That whole package was all hers.

 

She smiled down at Liam as he slid his hand in hers while they crossed the street.

 

“Hang out for a bit and reconvene for dinner?” Derek suggested as they paused in front of their hotel rooms. Liam and Isaac both nodded, heading into their room while Sophie stepped out of her little white slip-on tennis shoes.

 

Hudson immediately began to whine as Derek took him out the carrier and attempted to put him down for a nap.

 

“I’m so sorry, I can’t believe I would try to put you down for your nap,” Derek said, rolling his eyes at Sophie who giggled behind her hand, crawling into their bed.

 

She watched as her husband stutter-stepped around the hotel room, gently rocking Hudson in his arms until he was asleep again. Shortly after, he joined Sophie in bed, exhaling as he melted into the mattress.

 

“Tired, babe?” She asked, running a hand through his hair.

 

“Surprisingly so,” he agreed, groaning at the sensation of her nails scratching at his scalp. “Hi baby,” he greeted softly, putting his hand on her bump over her Giants tee.

 

“I can’t believe Isaac moves to school next month,” she pouted. “Its going to be so weird having him away.” She added.

 

“It’s going to be so good for him, though,” Derek countered. “He’ll always have Scott and Stiles and the rest of the pack, but he’s going to meet people at USF that aren’t going to know him or his story and he’s going to get a fresh start,” Derek listed off. “I would have loved to have a fresh start at his age,” he added. Sophie quietly ran her fingers through his hair again. “I think he’s going to really miss Liam and Hudson, though.”

 

“I’m going to miss him,” she said quietly.

 

“It will be different with just the younger boys,” Derek agreed, “but we will get to give them more attention that way.”

 

“I can’t wait to visit for parents weekend,” she said excitedly, “I know we took a tour of campus last summer, but I can’t wait for him to show us all his favorite spots and good places to eat and all that,” she added. “And we’ll get to bring the baby up,” she placed a hand on her bump as well.

 

“Three more months,” Derek raised his brows. “I can’t wait to see Huddy be a big brother,” he laughed.

 

“This poor kid,” she laughed. Hudson Hale was as demanding a toddler as they came. He wanted to know everything and he wanted everyone to know he was in the room. He commanded attention at every turn. Sophie was relieved that by the time he came to them, he knew how to walk. She was sure if he came to them before that time, he’d never learn with how much he was carried and coddled.

 

“It will definitely be an adjustment for him,” Derek agreed, his finger brushing over her wedding band.

 

They married earlier that fall, before Sophie’s baby bump was too noticeable in a ceremony overlooking the ocean with close friends and family. Sophie’s Dad happily held on to Hudson throughout the ceremony, the two of them thick as thieves from the moment Hudson learned to say “gampa.”

 

David adored Hudson and now with his second grandchild on the way, he was looking at early retirement more closely. Sophie would love nothing more than for her father to join them in Beacon Hills. Derek wasn’t excited per se, but he knew it meant a lot to Sophie to have her father nearby.

 

Derek’s business was booming and he now had ten employees under him, helping with various contracts including his latest with the city – Hale Landscaping was maintaining all property owned by Beacon Hills. The annual city deal alone was enough to put Isaac, Liam and Hudson through college.

 

Sophie would be missing the first semester of school at Beacon Hills. With an October 1st due date, she would return to teaching in January, leaving Derek to be the stay at home Daddy he always dreamed of being.

 

For now, they would just try to get through move-in weekend with Isaac.

 

[][][]

 

Back at the big house on Monday, Derek was answering emails in his lounge pants on the couch as Hudson watched _Moana_ on TV for what seemed like the thousandth time. Sophie was putting together sandwiches for lunch and Isaac was out seeing a movie with Jackson who was home for the summer from USC.

 

“Baby, would you be able to pick up Li from driver’s ed?” Derek said, looking down at his phone. “He’s done in thirty minutes but I have a conference call,” He added.

 

“No problem,” Sophie shrugged, bringing over an Italian cold cut for Derek and a peanut butter banana for Hudson. She had a combination of the two. She didn’t get too many cravings, but she did want peanut butter on everything – burgers, Chinese, pizza, sandwiches – everything. Derek was also officially on speed dial at Jade Temple for late night orders and they had been known to call him if it had been too long.

 

Hopping in her car not too long after lunch, she drove up to the high school, waiting for the class to end. Derek had already been picking out a ‘safe’ car for Liam though his sixteenth birthday was close to a year away.

 

She watched as a few students trickled out of the building, finally spotting Liam who was near the back of the rush. Sophie’s eyebrows shot straight up as she noticed his arm around a cute young redhead who preened under his attention.

 

Her mouth dropped as he kissed her goodbye at the bike racks – a not so innocent kiss to say the least. Certainly not the way her Daddy let her kiss boys when she was fifteen.

 

**_To: Derek  
_ ** _Omg, liam has a girlfriend!_

She hung back for a moment, lest Liam spotted her, before starting the car and rolling up to the school in the pick up circle after the redhead biked away.

 

“Hey honey,” she greeted, unlocking the doors to let him hop in. “How was driver’s ed?” She asked as he buckled up.

 

“It was good,” he shrugged, “learned all the different ways I can go to jail if I ever drive under the influence.”

 

“A good thing to remember,” she laughed. “When I took my permit test, a lot of the questions were about impaired driving,” she recalled. “Anything fun happen?” She perked a brow.

 

“Fun? In driver’s ed? No,” he laughed, pulling out his phone. “Do you care if I have a friend over tonight?” He asked.

 

“’course not,” she smiled, “baseball guys?” She asked. Liam had made fast friends with the other four freshmen that made the varsity team that year and they frequently traveled as a group.

 

“Nope,” he shook his head, not offering any more details. She narrowed her eyes a bit in response, but was going to see if Derek had the scoop before pressing any further.

 

When they arrived back at the house, they walked into a heated argument in the kitchen. Derek stood firmly in front of the refrigerator in what appeared to be a showdown as Hudson stood in front of Derek, his hands gripping Derek’s jeans firmly.

 

“We are not having ice cream,” Derek said sternly. “We just ate lunch and we can have some fruit, but no ice cream before dinner.”

 

“I wannit!” Hudson whined, tugging on Derek’s jeans, “wannit!” He stomped his little feet.

  
This was always the hard part for Derek and Sophie, not laughing at Hudson’s antics. He knew that as soon as they cracked a smile or laughed, he was going to get what he wanted.

 

“Daddy! Gimme!” He demanded.

 

Liam quickly exited, knowing he wasn’t going to be able to keep a straight face as his little brother ran the show.

 

“Huddy, are we having a tantrum?” Sophie intervened, knowing Derek was going to lose it.

 

“Daddy mean!” Hudson flipped on the waterworks, trying a new approach. He toddled toward Sophie with his arms up and his lower lip pouting out to a dangerous level.

 

“Daddy’s mean?” She asked with a dropped jaw, swinging the little one up to her hip, something that was getting harder and harder to do with her growing bump.

 

“Mean!” Hudson declared.

 

“Huds, you’re going to hurt Daddy’s feelings,” Sophie said, bouncing him gently as the toddler stared daggers at Derek. “We don’t want to make Daddy sad, do we?” She asked.

 

“No,” Hudson mumbled, gripping the collar of her shirt.

 

“No, we don’t,” she insisted. “We should tell Daddy we love him,” she said pointedly.

 

“Love Daddy,” Hudson said, meekly peeking up at Derek through his long lashes and pushing his hair from his face.

 

“Love me?” Derek asked with a little pout.

 

“Love Daddy,” Hudson nodded, reaching for the man in question. Derek discreetly rolled his eyes at Sophie as he took hold of Hudson.

 

“Love you too, baby boy,” Derek grinned kissing Hudson on the cheek.

 

“Daddy ice cream?” Hudson asked.

 

[][][]

 

“She’s here!” Sophie gasped, looking out to the backyard from their bedroom as the same redhead from driver’s ed appeared in the yard with Liam.

 

“Who’s here?” Derek asked, toweling off from his shower after spending an hour cleaning the pool earlier that afternoon.

 

“Liam’s girlfriend,” she said, peering between the blinds. Derek gave his wife an amused laugh as she braced one hand on her lower back and the other pulling two of the blinds apart.

 

“Baby, Liam doesn’t have a girlfriend,” he said, standing behind her and looking over at Liam and Clarissa. “That’s his friend, Clarissa,” he said quietly.

 

“You know about her?” Sophie asked, feeling incredibly out of the loop.

 

“They go to school together!” Derek laughed. “I’ve seen her before.”

 

“Oh yeah,” Sophie gave him a pointed look, “have you seen them make out?” She asked. Derek gave her a considerate look.

 

“Just because they made out doesn’t mean she’s his _girlfriend_ ,” he replied.

 

“She better be!” Sophie squeaked. “They’re fifteen!” She insisted.

 

“Were you in a relationship with every boy you’ve ever kissed?” He asked dryly. Sophie squared off her shoulders to face her husband.

 

“As a matter of fact, I was,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “How many girls were you running around kissing, Mr. Hale?” She asked.

  
Derek blinked.

 

“None, I kissed no one.” He replied.

 

“You floozy,” she accused. “Can’t believe I married a man of such loose morals,” she rolled her eyes, facing the yard again. “Look!” She squealed, pointing down to the pool where both Liam and _Clarissa_ were kissing in the water. “What are they doing! They’re babies!” She stomped her foot, much like Hudson would.

 

“Give them a little privacy,” Derek insisted, tugging her away from the window gently and toward the bed.

 

“Privacy!” She huffed, “they’re too young to have privacy! I am not raising any more babies in the next year unless it comes directly from my womb.” She jabbed her finger into Derek’s chest.

 

“Baby, Liam and I have talked about this, he’s not doing _that_ with anyone and even if he was, he is a smart boy with necessary supplies,” Derek calmed her down.

 

“You gave Liam the sex talk?” She said, impressed.

 

“He’s a fifteen year old boy, of course I gave him the sex talk,” Derek said plainly. “I am not going to be a grandpa for a very, _very_ long time. Come on, pregnant lady, let me get you off of your feet,” He insisted, bringing her over to the bed. “Don’t get my baby all riled up,” he said, tucking her on top of the made bed, propping up pillows behind her back and shoulders.

 

As soon as she was settled, he wedged himself between her thighs, nuzzling into the side of her growing bump. He cradled her sides in his hands and she didn’t complain as his shallow stubble snagged slightly on her tee.

 

“What do you think?” She asked, running her hands through his hair, listening to the low, satisfied grumble in his chest.

 

“I want the next three months to hurry up,” he began. “I don’t want to wait anymore to meet them,” he insisted.

 

“They can’t wait to meet you either, Daddy,” she smiled, giving his hair a little tug.

 

“What do we think it is today?” she asked.

 

“Boy,” Derek sighed, “little basketball player with his mama’s eyes and my dimples,” he listed off.

 

“And tomorrow?” She asked.

 

“Little girl who looks her Mama from head to toe,” he said. “She wants to play soccer and spend all her time with her Daddy.”

 

They were opting to wait until the big day to find out what they were having. It was hard, but they figured they were fortunate enough to already have a full house, they could wait to find out who else would be joining their family. That, and it gave Sophie and Derek an excuse to buy all the newborn and infant clothes they liked, knowing that no matter what, one day, they’d all get used.

 

“I think it’s going to be another boy, another mini Derek,” she sighed. “I’ve already resigned to the fact that all of our kids will be boys.”

 

“No, we’re going to get a girl,” he shook his head. “Boys are too easy, girls are an adventure,” he insisted. “What would our lives be without a little adventure?”

 

“I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”


	27. Lose One Gain One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mindlessly updating hoping someone will comment :)
> 
> hope everyone's having a great tuesday!
> 
> xx

The drive to USF wasn’t long – and it was even a bit relaxing for Derek and Sophie as Isaac and Liam volunteered to take Hudson in their car for the ride. Hudson slept almost the whole way and Liam occasionally sent videos of the toddler rocking out to the radio as Isaac played DJ.

 

Derek couldn’t believe that they were already moving Isaac into his freshman dorm. It seemed like just yesterday he came to him as a shy, physically and mentally exhausted teen who needed guidance, support and most importantly, love. Now, six years later, he was heading into college a well-adjusted, confident and kind man.

 

Soon, they were directed into their allotted parking spots – one resident and one visitor as they arrived at Hayes-Healy freshman residence hall. There were plenty of campus administrators on hand to help move boxes, suitcases and bedding up to Isaac’s dorm on the third floor.

 

“Doesn’t look like your roommate is here yet,” Derek pointed out. “Better pick which bed you want quick,” he looked around the dorm. It was small, but not unbearably so. With two XL twin beds, two desks, a mini-fridge and two dressers, it was as Sophie expected. She wondered if it was hard for Derek, since he hadn’t gone to a four-year university, to be there and help Isaac feel prepared for what was to come.

 

“Babe, you start unpacking clothes, I’ll make the bed,” She insisted, pulling out the pin-striped blue Ralph Lauren sheets she picked up at Nordstrom and washed before packing them up.

 

Liam and Hudson sat on the spare bed away from the window and counted school supplies while Sophie made the bed and Derek helped stockpile the non-perishable groceries under the semi-lofted bed. They had gone to Costco out of town earlier in the week – Derek’s first time at the wholesale grocery store – and picked up cases of bottled water, Easy Mac, ramen, beef jerky and all sorts of unhealthy junk that the teen requested. Derek didn’t mind because he was instantly enamored with the enormous chain store.

 

An hour later, Isaac was as moved-in as he could get and Derek set up his new laptop and modem on his desk, a parting graduation gift.

 

Delaying the inevitable, Sophie suggested they grab some lunch so Isaac’s new roommate could have a little privacy unpacking as well, in the even he arrived while they were gone.

 

“Ize, hide your laptop first, just in case,” she insisted before they left. Isaac rolled his eyes, but tucked the new macbook under his pillow to appease her.

 

However, even with Sophie’s attempt to milk all the time possible, lunch eventually came to an end and they were back at the dorm in an hour and a half.

 

“What else can we do, Ize?” Derek asked, looking around the dorm.

 

“I think that’s it,” he shrugged, hearing a few more kids moving in on the same floor.

 

“Mama?” Derek asked, looking over at Sophie who was clutching on to Hudson like her life depended on it. “Should we hit the road?” He asked gently.

 

“Yeah,” she nodded, being curt to avoid crying.

 

She watched as Liam gave Isaac a big hug, tears already streaming down her face as she listened to the older tell the younger to stay out of trouble and call him if he needed anything.

 

“Call me, okay?” Derek asked, hugging Isaac tightly. “I’m so proud of you, Isaac,” he breathed, hugging him a little tighter.

 

“Thanks, Derek,” He said, squeezing his eyes shut as he hugged him back. He didn’t know where he’d be without him.

 

“Be careful, okay? Call me if you get itchy,” he added, knowing that it was going to be a new experience for Isaac to be away for full moons.

 

“I’ll be home once a month,” Isaac replied, “you guys are going to see me all the time,” he smiled sadly, moving on to Sophie who looked like a damn about the break.

 

Sometimes when she saw him, she still saw the boy that had nightmares in his sleep and snuggled up to her at the dining table when they first met.

 

“It’s okay, Sophie,” Isaac laughed softly as she buried her face in his neck. “Don’t cry,” he insisted.

 

“I’m not crying,” she sniffled against his skin, very obviously crying. “We can be here in an hour at any given time,” she reminded. “You know we’re close,” She added.

 

“I know,” He nodded, running a hand up and down her back soothingly. He looked at Derek over her shoulder, who simply rolled his eyes and gave a little laugh. Isaac kissed her cheek and gave her one last squeeze before doing the same to Hudson, who was just confused at everything that was going on.

 

“Be good for Mom and Dad, Huddy,” He gave a little nip to Hudson’s cheek who smiled and flopped against Sophie’s chest. He had never referred to Sophie as Mom before, and if she didn’t feel like exploding before, she certainly did now. She pulled Isaac into another embrace and squeezed him tightly, holding on until Derek cleared his throat.

 

“C’mon Soph, time for Isaac to meet some of these guys,” Derek said as more and more kids moved in.

 

“Kay,” she sniffled, her whole face bright red and covered in tears. She immediately flipped her sunglasses down to cover her eyes as Hudson started getting antsy. She kissed Isaac’s cheek again before waving as they all said one last goodbye and headed toward the elevator.

 

“Keep an eye on her, will ya?” Isaac asked of Liam quietly, to which the younger nodded.

 

Just a few eyes followed the crying pregnant woman as they crossed the campus parking lot again to the Suburban.

 

“We have to go back, Isaac forgot his cup,” Sophie said, still crying as she grabbed an empty to-go cup with a few half-melted ice cubes.

 

“Baby, I think he’ll be okay without it,” Derek said softly, being incredibly wearing of the woman in the passenger seat.

 

“What if he needs it?” She asked, sounding completely and utterly in despair.

 

“If he calls and asks for it, I’ll be sure to get it to him,” Derek said, pulling out of the parking lot.

 

Hudson still had no idea what the hell was going on, but he did notice the lack of Isaac in the car.

 

“Ize,” he said to Liam, pushing his sunglasses up.

 

“Ize is at college, Huddy,” Liam explained, “he’ll be home soon to visit.”

 

“Ize home,” Hudson frowned. That was enough to send Sophie into complete hysterics. After they arrived home, no one complained about Sophie curling up on the couch with Liam and Hudson, cradling a jar of peanut butter and crying occasionally as they watched movies in the den.

 

Derek figured that after Liam left for school, they’d have at least fifteen years until Hudson went as well. She’d recover by then.

 

[][][]

 

Eight months pregnant was hard - there was no denying that. To help just a tiny bit, Melissa offered to take Hudson one night a week to give Derek and Sophie just a little bit of free time. That, and Hudson loved his Grammy who always gave him as many cookies as he wanted and was fine with watching Moana at least twice a night.

 

“What are you doing Mama?” Derek asked, returning home that evening after dropping Liam off at his teammate’s house for a baseball carb-feed.

 

“Lubing myself up,” she joked, dressed in just a sports bra as she laid on the bed, rubbing coconut oil lotion all over her tummy. She didn’t know if it was actually helping her stretchmarks from appearing, but she knew it felt good.

 

“Let Daddy take over for a bit,” he kneeled on the bed, gently spreading her legs to get to her bump. He grabbed the orange bottle, squeezing a bit more on his palms and rubbing it between his hands before greedily rubbing it all over her bump. Sophie relaxed with a sigh, tucking her hands behind her head as she exhaled gently.

 

Derek eyed up the masterpiece before him – his wife’s blissed-out expression, her breasts, which had easily increased an entire cup size, her big tummy filled with his baby and her gorgeous sex on full display. He covered her tummy in a thick layer of lotion, certain there could never be enough, before slowly rubbing up toward her breasts.

 

“Careful,” she mumbled, “they’re tender,” she added.

 

“Hurt, baby?” He asked, gently massaging underneath the elastic of her sports bra.

 

“They’re too big,” she muttered, eyes still closed. She sighed dreamily as he cupped them carefully under her bra, gently covering them in lotion. They were big, he would admit that, but they felt incredible in his hands. He damn near purred feeling her nipples pebble under his touch, making her smile just the slightest.

  
“Feel good?” He asked, carefully lotioning her skin, to which she nodded mindlessly. They were both a little surprised when she moaned quietly.

 

“Keep going,” she insisted, wiggling slightly and adjusting her lower back into the mattress.

 

“I’ll keep doing it till you tell me to stop,” he promised, carefully removing her bra over her head. He watched her hair fan out all around her as she laid her head back down. He tossed the bra to the ground growled when she reached her arms above her head, lifting her breasts in the slightest.

 

“Der, please,” she whimpered as he teased her nipples. He watched her hips twitch slightly and her knees fell to the sides, hitting the mattress gently. “I’m so wet,” she could feel it between her thighs. Derek slid one hand down the deep slope of her belly to her sex, swirling one finger between her lips.

 

“Wow, you really are,” he commented, giving her clit a little twirl. “What do you want baby?” He asked, leaning down to kiss her belly button – which, at capacity, was now an outie. “Anything you want,” he insisted, rubbing his hands over her belly.

 

“I want your tongue,” She whimpered the thought. He kissed her jaw, her neck, her chest, trailing down her stomach to her sex. “Yes,” she hissed, eyes clenching shut as he lined the outside of her entrance with this tongue.

 

“Good?” He asked, nibbling on her lips gently.

 

“Very good,” she nodded helplessly. There was a certain magic Derek practiced, twirling his tongue around her clit and just teasing her sex with his two fingers, one that made her see black spots behind her eyes. The harder she pushed his head into her sex with her hands threaded through his hair, the more confident he became. Flicking his tongue along like a wicked snake, she screamed, his grin stretching across his face as he reduced his wife to a whimpering, twitching mess. He suckled her clit gently, fully sliding two of his fingers inside, searching for that little spot that would make her lose it.

 

“Okay, baby?” He checked in, looking up to see her completely gone with her eyes rolled back.

 

“Please, Der,” she all but begged. He swiftly finished her off, wrapping his lips around her clit and sucking as he pressed against her g-spot. She came with a wily scream, her thighs locking around his head. With her head slammed back against her pillow and eyes shut as she came down from her high, he carefully kissed from her sex to her knee, gingerly pressing his lips to her.

 

“Stay still, I’m going to get a washcloth,” he whispered. He carefully got up from the bed, padding to the bathroom and wetting a cloth with warm water. Carefully wiping, he cleaned her up in time for her knees to flop to the side. “Baby,” he said quietly, raising his eyebrows.

 

His inquiry was met with a resounding snore. He lovingly drew the blankets up to her shoulders, tucking her in before returning to the bathroom, taking a quick, relieving shower toweling off.

  
Crawling back into bed, he nuzzled down in the valley between her bump and her breasts, nuzzling into the fur throw.

 

“Your Mama is so silly,” he said, stroking a hand back and forth. “But she’s the best Mama in the world and we love you so much,” he added. “I knew she was going to be your Mama right when I met her. Even though when we met, she was too cool for me. I’ll tell you about it. I had just gotten back in town and took your packmate Stiles to the grocery store to pick up some food…”

 

[][][]

 

A week later, the little Hale family was wandering through the grocery store, Derek pushing the cart as Hudson led Sophie through the freezer aisle.

 

“Mama ice cream,” Hudson said, smacking his hands against the glass doors.

 

“Should we get ice cream baby boy?” She asked, eyes flickering over the Ben and Jerry’s selections.

 

“Mama ice cream,” he giggled, looking up at Sophie with those incredibly green eyes and little pink pout.

 

“Mama, we have a years’ worth of ice cream in the freezers at home,” Derek reminded. If it were up to those two, they’d have ice cream for breakfast and waffles for dinner. He was trying his best to get a square meal into Sophie each day, even if that included a cup of peanut butter on the side. Sophie shot Derek a look before swinging Hudson up into her arms to settle on her hip. “You know you’re not supposed to be carrying him,” Derek said, plucking the toddler from her arms.

 

With two weeks until her due date, she was months past the timeline that her OBGYN said she could keep carrying Hudson around.

 

“Gimme my baby,” she frowned, making grabby hands for the toddler who fascinated himself with Derek’s scruff.

 

“No baby for you,” Derek said, tucking Hudson down into the seat of the grocery cart. “I’m making chicken and salad for dinner, what else do you want?” He asked, “brown rice or sweet potato?” He asked. He had finally gotten to the point to where her glare didn’t make his stomach flip a little bit.

 

“Sweet potato,” she mumbled. “I want to get some apples, too, for my peanut butter.”

 

“To the apples,” he nodded, following her along. He checked his phone and was scrolling through his texts from Isaac, Hudson singing along under his breath when he heard it.

 

“Uh oh,” he paused behind Sophie who was clutched onto the bin of oranges.

“Sophie,” he began questioningly.

 

“Der,” she looked up at him, wide-eyed and glanced back down to the white tile floor. “My water broke,” she said with great surprise.

 

“Holy shit,” he said, shocked.

 

“Mama ice cream!”


	28. Family Ties

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> updating again today because i can.
> 
> please comment if you like. i'm thinking of writing a stiles/peter hale series next.
> 
> xx

David McLaren hopped off of his plane in Sacramento, having just crossed the country after getting a rather panicked call from his son-in-law before grabbing his rental car. He semi-wished that he had his cruiser and could flip his light on all the way to Beacon Hills. If he happened to get pulled over, he’d be happy to explain the situation to an officer.

 

He considered stopping momentarily for coffee, but figured that the faster he got there, the better – and the hospital would have some coffee for him.

 

Upon arriving, he tossed his rental car into long-term parking before making his way up to the maternity ward, spotting Melissa McCall in the waiting room along with Liam and Hudson.

 

“Gampa,” Hudson said, recognizing the man with the dark hair and light eyes.

 

“Hey Huds,” he greeted, picking up the toddler who wiggled off his chair to waddle toward Sophie’s Dad.

 

“Hey Dave,” Liam smiled. He was a little intimidated by David McLaren, but he knew that the older of the two particularly liked Liam.

 

“Hey, Li,” Dave put his arm around the teen, giving him a quick hug before turning his attention to Melissa. “So what’s the plan?” He asked.

 

“She’s doing really well, the doctor should be in soon to start the show,” Melissa informed.

  
Down the hall, Sophie was inhaling through her nose and exhaling through her mouth, feeling rather serene as Derek sat at the side of her bed, knee bouncing and scanning her entire being every few seconds.

 

“Stop bouncing,” She commanded, “I’m trying to be zen and your bouncing is not making me zen.”

 

“I’m nervous,” he mumbled, a hand placed on her tummy to feel movement.

 

“Why are you nervous? All you’ve gotta do is stand there and look good,” she narrowed her eyes. “I’m literally going to be birthing your large-headed child,” she exhaled, focusing on breathing through the pain.

 

“My head isn’t that big,” he muttered, standing up. “What can I get you? De you want some ice? Your slippers?” He asked.

 

“I just – if I turn on my side, will you rub my back?” she asked.

 

“Of course,” he nodded dutifully, helping her adjust very carefully with all of her tubes and wires.

 

“Der,” she whimpered, eyes clenching shut as another contraction hit, sending ripples of pain across her tummy. “It hurts,” she said softly, clutching her tummy.

 

“Just breathe, babe,” he tried soothing her. “Just breathe,” he rubbed between her shoulder blades, “we get to have our baby so soon,” he reminded.

 

“Yeah,” she nodded.

 

“And we get to take them home and love on them,” he listed off, “and then we can put them in the baby floaty we got for the pool and then we’ll take some family pictures,” he added. He could hear her heartbeat relax just a bit, “and then I’m going to be stay-at-home Daddy and you get to be working Mama,” he teased.

 

“You’re a good Daddy,” she sniffled, finally getting a handle on the pain.

 

“Okay,” their doctor announced after knocking shortly. “Who’s wants to have a baby?” He asked.

 

“Me,” Sophie said, raising her hand pathetically.

 

“You’re in luck, then,” he grinned, taking a seat down by the end of the hospital bed. A nurse came in with a set of scrubs and a hairnet and facemask for Derek and he changed lightning fast in the adjacent bathroom.

 

“Der,” she said, reaching for his hand as the doctor and nurse began to coach her. It went by a lot faster than the movies and Lifetime dramas led her to believe. Looking back, she wouldn’t remember much beyond squeezing the life out of Derek’s hands and training her eyes on his as he reminded her to breathe.

 

“One big one,” the nurse said, checking her vitals as the doctor worked with great intent.

 

“You’re going to feel a tug,” he warned, “baby is crowning, here comes the shoulders.” He announced.

 

“They have shoulders!” Derek said excitedly, making her sob out a laugh.

 

“Your head is so big,” she cried, making Derek laugh as well. Another few moments passed and she heard the doctor crystal clear.

  
“Here we go!” A moment later, she sobbed again in happiness as their little baby was set on her chest, still covered in all sorts of liquids and crying loudly – a piercing shriek of a scream.

 

“Oh my God,” Derek laughed, crying as the nurse held her up.

 

“It’s a girl!” the nurse smiled.

 

“A girl!” Derek repeated, brushing Sophie’s hair back from her face. “We have a baby girl,” he kissed Sophie’s cheek as she cried.

 

“We’re going to clean her up and take her measurements then we’ll have her back to you,” she informed, knowing better than to take a baby with no notice. “Relax Mom, you did a great job,” she smiled.

 

“Excellent job, how are you feeling?” The doctor asked. Sophie nodded shallowly in reply.

 

“Ready to sleep,” she said, eyes already fluttering shut. She continued through the afterbirth process, making sure all was taken care of with the nurse and doctor before they both bowed out.

 

“Congratulations, I’ll be back in a few hours.” He said before disappearing from the room.

 

“You did so good,” Derek dropped back into the chair beside Sophie. “You did so good, Mama,” he kissed her forehead again. “I’m so proud of you, thank you,” he held her hand in his.

 

“We did it,” she smiled tiredly. “I’m gonna rest my eyes,” she said quietly.

 

“You nap, baby, we’ll be here when you wake up.”

 

When Sophie came to about an hour later, Derek was still diligently at her side in the recliner, rocking gently as he held their daughter in his hand.

 

“Hi Mama,” he smiled, eyes dreamy as he cradled the newborn. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

 

“Lemme see her,” she insisted, reaching for the baby with the little pink knitted hat. “Is Daddy here?” She asked as Derek nestled the baby into his wife’s arms.

 

“He’s in the lobby with Liam and Melissa, John took Hudson home,” he explained. “Do you want to see him?” He asked, “I can go get him.”

 

“In a bit,” she said, “I just want to have a moment with her to myself,” she tucked the blanket under the baby’s chin and moved her little hat up a bit to get a closer look. “Oh my goodness, that hair!” She laughed softly, looking at the tuft of light auburn hair on the baby’s head. “She got your nose, baby,” she smiled up at Derek. “Oh, oh, she has my eyes,” Sophie spotted the light green irises behind her little pink eyelids.

 

“She’s perfect,” Derek mumbled, smoothing his hand over her little feet. “She’s actually perfect,” he added.

 

“We’ve got to name this little angel,” she said, cradling her to her chest and watching her sleep.

 

“What do you think, Soph?” Derek asked, leaning on the bed behind her. “Do you remember our short list?” He asked.

 

“I remember,” she hummed, leaning down to press her lips to the soft cotton of the pick hat. “She looks like an Emerson, don’t you think?” She asked.

 

“My little Emmy,” Derek said, leaning even further on the bed, practically crawling in beside her.

 

“Emerson Talia,” she replied, looking to Derek whose eyes took on a misty film. “Our little angel,” she kissed the baby’s head again.

 

“I love you both so much,” Derek leaned down, pecking his wife on the lips.

 

“We love you too, Daddy,” she smiled. “Want to send the family in?” She asked, knowing her Dad and Liam must be exhausted. Derek nodded, kissing the baby once more before getting up from the mattress and heading to the lobby.

 

He smiled partly in relief upon seeing his father-in-law and Liam.

 

“Ready to meet the newest Hale?” He asked, his father-in-law greeting him with a big hug.

 

“Congrats, kid,” David hugged Derek. “So what are we working with here? Another boy in the family?” He asked, following him into the suite.

 

“Hi Daddy,” Sophie greeted tiredly.

 

“Hi Princess,” he smiled, heart melting upon seeing his daughter in her hospital bed. He walked straight to her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Who do we have here?” He asked.

 

“This is Emerson,” she smiled, pushing down the blanket again to reveal the sleeping baby’s face. “Little Emmy,” she added.

 

“Oh my,” David’s face broke into a watery smile, his eyes tearing up. “Hello Emmy,” he said quietly, slowly taking the baby from Sophie’s arms and tucking her against his chest. “Hello,” he repeated, dropping a kiss to her head. “I’m so happy to meet you, Emmy.”

 

“She’s happy to meet you too, Grandpa,”

 

[][][]

 

“Emmy!” Hudson called, toddling down the hallway from his room to the pink nursery where Sophie was in the glider, soothing the baby while breastfeeding her. Hudson, now in his big boy bed, loved the freedom of getting out of his bed whenever he wanted. “Hi, Emmy,” he greeted, crawling up onto the ottoman of the chair, watching his baby sister intently.

 

“Good morning, Hudson,” Sophie laughed. She was now the second most interesting person in the house.

 

“Hi, Mama,” he grinned, giggling as he leaned forward, watching Emerson drink her breakfast. “My baby,” he said, pointing to Emmy.

 

“Is that your baby?” Sophie asked, still rocking back and forth as Hudson made himself comfortable on the other side of her lap, resting his head on her shoulder. Hudson was doing surprisingly well with Emmy so far, giving her space and approaching cautiously. Sophie was sure Ollie and Nina would have appreciated this much caution when they first met Hudson.

 

“Look at this group,” Derek smiled, running a hand through is hair as he stood in the doorway. He heard Hudson’s excited little steps as he ran down the hallway from up the stairs. “Good morning, everyone,” he greeted.

 

“Good morning, Mama,” he smiled, walking forward to place a hand on Emerson’s head, giving Sophie a kiss. “Good morning, babies,” he greeted Hudson and Emmy.

 

“I big boy,” Hudson scowled, “big boy, Daddy,” he informed.

 

“You’re right, you are a big boy,” Derek nodded, “sorry, Huddy.” He looked back at Sophie who was the picture of bliss, eyes closed gently as she rocked back and forth. “How are we feeling, Mama?” He asked, “you hungry for some breakfast?”

 

Sophie nodded, “chocolate chip pancakes sound amazing right now,” she sighed.

 

“Mmm,” Hudson agreed.

  
“Want to help Daddy make breakfast, Huds?” Derek asked. “I’ll let you drop in the chocolate,” he bribed.

 

“’Kay, Daddy,” he nodded, reaching up for his father. Derek swung the toddler to his hip and kissed his wife once more before heading to the kitchen. David was still dead asleep in the basement, the excitement of the past few days catching up to Grandpa Dave.

 

Derek sat Hudson on the counter and listened to him babble as he prepared pancakes, bacon and eggs. Hudson did a wonderful job with chocolate chip distribution as Derek microwaved a mug of lactation tea for Sophie. He didn’t know if it actually worked, but it was something their consultant recommended during her visit at the hospital last week. That, and he was willing to do anything to help make Sophie’s life easier.

 

Though he had a higher tolerance for lack of sleep and could pace a nursery for hours, there were just some things he couldn’t do in place of his wife – so he tried his best to do everything he could do.

 

“Huddy do you like being a big brother?” Derek asked, watching as the toddler swung his legs back and forth from the counter top, popping the occasional piece of chocolate in his mouth. “You like having your baby?”

 

“I love Emmy,” he smiled happily, showing off his dimple. “Emmy my baby,” he added.

 

“It’s important to be a good big brother, Huddy,” he said, flipping his pancakes. “Emmy will need you to be her big, tough brother and protect her,” he added. However, as he watched his son’s face light up as he mentioned his sister’s name, he didn’t think he had too much to worry about.

 

“I love Emmy.”

 

[][][]

 

Sophie loved the way Derek dressed his daughter. As part of their routine, after she fed Emmy in the morning, she got to go shower and drink her coffee while Derek burped, changed and dressed Emmy.

 

It was if Derek suddenly forgot all colors except pink existed. Emmy wore pink onesies, pink headbands, pink tutus and pink leggings almost everyday. Sequins, flowers and a big bow usually accentuated the pink outfits across the top of her head.

 

Derek couldn’t believe this was his life – sitting in the stands at Liam’s baseball game where he was starting shortstop with Hudson on his lap and Emmy wrapped tightly against his chest, also covered by a soft pink blanket. There were times in his younger years he dreamed about this, but thought it could never actually happen for him.

 

“Here comes big brother,” Derek narrated for Emmy quietly as she slept peacefully with a pacifier in her mouth. “He’s going to hit the ball,” he added.

 

Derek saved his whoop of joy as Liam hit a double, smiling widely instead as Hudson cheered from Sophie’s lap. Not many babies could say they went to their first baseball game at only two weeks old.

 

Sophie relaxed against the rail of the bleachers, Hudson leaning against her chest as the game went on.

 

“Ready for some dinner, Huddy?” She asked, dropping a kiss to his head.

 

“Yeah,” he nodded, turning to look at Derek. “Daddy dinner,” he informed.

 

“Okay, Huddy,” Derek nodded, “we just have to wait for brother to finish his game,” he added. “Should be very soon,” he assured as the game wrapped up. Liam was always the first out of the locker room, so he didn’t see them waiting for long.

 

Parked in a booth at Ziggy’s just under an hour later, Hudson was quiet pleased to have a big chocolate shake in front of him to dip his French fries.

 

“Feel good today?” Derek asked Liam who kept an eye on Hudson, “arm okay?”

 

“Really good,” Liam nodded. “Over the winter, there’s going to be a camp in Montecito that UCLA is putting on and Coach Bodey wants me to go.”

 

“Baby that’s amazing!” Sophie grinned, bouncing Emmy against her shoulder gently as she tried to lull her back to sleep.

 

“It’s kind of expensive,” Liam said with hesitation.

 

“Don’t worry about it, Li,” Derek insisted. “If you want to go, then you’ll go,” he said simply.

 

“Thanks Dad,” Liam smiled bashfully, looking down at his milkshake. His eyes darted to the door as the bell chimed with new customers and they all recognized another baseball player in the BHHS uniform.

 

“Hey Liam,” Tyler Hodgkins, a senior on the team, greeted while his parents sat down in a booth a few tables over.

 

“Hey Tyler,” Liam greeted back quietly.

 

“Good game today,” he complimented, “your arm is really turning into a rocket,” he added.

 

“Thanks,” Liam smiled back like an eager puppy, eating up the compliment.

 

“See you tomorrow,” he waved before going to find his own table.

 

“He’s cute,” Sophie grinned as soon as he was out of earshot.

 

“He is,” Liam agreed with a nod, blushing slightly.

 

“Liam, do you have a crush?” Sophie asked, grinning wildly as Derek rolled his eyes.

 

“He’s a lot older than me,” Liam mumbled.

 

“He’s a senior?” Derek asked with a raised brow, to which Liam nodded. “Too old for you,” he confirmed.

 

“He’s still cute,” Sophie said exasperatedly. “You’re four years older than me,” she reminded. Even that was recent, though, as she turned twenty-four two months previously.

 

“Yeah, but by the time I found you, us being together wasn’t illegal in most states,” he pointed out.

 

“You’re such a bummer,” Sophie rolled her eyes.

 

“Okay, can we not talk so loudly about this?” Liam asked, cheeks burning red.

 

Sophie took a long sip of she and Hudson’s shake as he busied himself with his chicken nuggets, but it didn’t last long.

 

“So is Tyler going to be at the UCLA camp?”


	29. Too Young

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short & sweet chapter for friday.
> 
> have a great weekend, everyone!
> 
> xx

Crowded around the bonfire pit, the little Hale family was glad to have Stiles, Isaac and Jackson home for the weekend. Stiles and Jackson generously offered to pick Isaac up on their way up from Los Angeles and to check out his dorm.

 

In their second year at USC, Scott, Stiles and Jackson moved into an apartment with another one of their friends that Scott roomed with as a freshman.

  
Jackson sat in a camp chair, cradling Emmy in his arms as she slept. Hudson held court with Stiles, showing him how his Fisher Price cell phone worked. Sophie marveled at how comfortable Jackson was with Emmy, not having much experience with babies in the past.

 

Tonight they were going to introduce Liam and Derek to Hudson in their wolf forms, wanting him to be very comfortable around them and with the idea of shifting. It would only be a few years now until Hudson would be able to shift himself.

 

“I don’t think you should do it right here,” Sophie began, “maybe go round back, shift, and then come up here.” She advised, “I think if he sees it happening, he’ll freak out.”

 

“Yeah, I’ll second that,” Stiles agreed. Derek nodded and Liam followed him around to the side of the house.

 

“Huddy, come here,” she said, reaching her arms out to the toddler who was happy to abandon Stiles and his cell phone for his Mama. “Hi baby,” she grinned, hauling him up into her lap.

 

“Hi Mama,” he smiled back, melting her heart. His attention snapped to over her shoulder as he saw Derek and Liam slowly approach. Letting out a loud whine, he buried his face into Sophie’s neck. “Mama,” he whimpered, not liking the sight of the big puppies.

 

“It’s okay, Huddy,” she cooed, rubbing a hand up and down his back as Derek came to a stop next to her chair. “Friendly puppies,” she encouraged. At least Ollie was in the house, he would start barking and running around if he saw Derek and Liam like this. “See? Friendly,” she pet the top of Derek’s head.

 

Hudson peeked one eye open, watching Derek and Liam who both sat patiently in the grass. Liam walked around the fire, coming to a stop in front of Stiles who also made a show of being nice to the wolf.

 

“Good puppy,” Stiles almost laughed, patting Liam on the head.

 

“Sties, no,” Hudson frowned at his friend. “No.”

 

“Look Hudson, good puppy,” Sophie said, his face still hiding behind her neck as she continued to pet Derek. Derek snuffled a bit, leaning over and giving Sophie’s hand a little lick.

  
“No!” He squealed. He was certain the big puppy was tasting his Mama, getting ready to eat her whole. “No! My Mama,” he reached down and smacked the black wolf on the snout. Sophie’s jaw dropped.

 

“Hudson, no hitting!” She said, bouncing the boy in her arms. “Puppy gives kisses,” she explained. “You want a puppy kiss?” She asked.

 

Hudson screamed as Derek got closer, snout inching towards the young boy’s bare feet.

 

“No!” He screamed again, making himself as small as possible and shoving his face into Sophie’s chest. “Mama,” he sobbed, terrified.

 

“It’s okay, it’s okay, baby,” she cooed, rubbing her hand up and down his back, “you’re safe, baby,” she added, kissing his temple as he cried.

 

It seemed he was still too young. She wanted to get Derek and Liam out of there before Hudson’s crying woke Emmy.

 

“We’ll try another time,” Sophie whispered, kissing Hudson. Derek and Liam scampered back to the side of the house, shifting and changing before reemerging.

 

“Daddy!” Hudson wailed, reaching for Derek who tried his best not to smile too wide.

 

“Huddy, what’s the matter?” He asked, picking up the baby and letting him nuzzle all over his neck, fisting his sweater in his little pudgy hands.

 

“A scary,” Hudson hiccupped, crawling all over Derek and trying to get as close to him as possible. “Scary puppy,” he insisted as Derek carried him back toward the fire and dropping into his camp chair.

 

“A scary puppy?” He asked, shushing him softly and kissing his soft little cheek. “Where?” He asked.

 

“A scary,” Hudson said, pointing to the ground next to Sophie’s chair.

 

“Daddy’s got you,” he insisted, bouncing him gently, “it’s okay, Daddy’s got you. No scary puppies while Daddy’s here.” He looked over the top of his son’s head to his wife who rolled her eyes.

 

[][][]

 

A few weeks later, just after Thanksgiving, Derek was out in the backyard, tending to some of the trees, uprooting those that were able to be transferred to other properties. Hudson, not far away, was standing in the back wearing his favorite Christmas sweater, an Elmo diaper and thick socks, holding his Fisher Price gardening tools and digging up little piles of dirt in the mulch.

 

“What do you think, Huds?” Derek asked, standing back and looking at two different infant trees he had ready for planting. “One in the back and one in the front?” He asked.

 

“Yeah!” Hudson nodded energetically.

 

“Do you think its overkill to put the Korean maple in the back? Do you think it would ruin the theme we already have going on?” He asked.

 

“Yeah!” Hudson said, squatting down and digging up mulch with his little plastic spade.

 

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Derek squinted at the trees in front of him.

 

Sophie looked out to the backyard to see her two boys working in the dirt, shaking her head as Emmy fed. Not too long afterward, they were both inside, Derek fixing both he and Hudson something to drink. It wouldn’t be a few more days until they’d go pick out their Christmas tree for Emmy’s first Christmas.

 

She knew her time as a stay-at-home-mom was coming to an end and they’d really have to ramp up efforts to get Emmy to take a bottle as well. There were just some things that Derek physically couldn’t do for their daughter.

 

Stepping out of her shower while Emmy took her afternoon nap, she wandered down to the basement where she could hear the television. She found Derek and Hudson on the couch; each dressed just in pajama pants and each sipping on a water bottle.

 

“Boys, what do we want for dinner?” She asked, leaning against the doorway. Hudson barely turned his head away from _Moana_ as he sucked on his water bottle with one hand and played with his bellybutton with the other.

 

“You want me to put something on grill?” Derek offered.

 

“No, I want some Chinese,” she replied. “Liam can drive if he’s got a responsible parent in the passenger’s seat.” She said in a sing-song voice.

 

“Mama,” Hudson reached for Sophie. She happily complied, setting her phone down on the coffee table as it displayed Emmy’s crib before crawling on the couch between Derek and Hudson. The little boy snuggled into Sophie’s chest, sticking his thumb back in his mouth.

 

“So sorry baby, I can’t go, there’s a Hudson on me,” she said airily, pouting at her husband who laughed softly.

 

“You certainly can’t get up if there’s a Hudson on you,” he agreed. Ollie kicked his little legs in his sleep from under the television, having a puppy dream while Nina kneaded his back with her paws.

 

“Let Li drive, he’s really excited,” she said, leaning over and pecking his lips.

 

“I will,” Derek sighed getting up from his cozy cocoon on the couch and grabbing his car keys off of the coffee table.

 

When the pair arrived home an hour later, even without the superhuman hearing, she could make out the heavy footsteps up the stairs and the slamming of the bedroom door.

 

Derek arrived in the basement with a bag full of Chinese food, plates, forks and napkins.

 

“Where’s Liam?” She asked, trying to keep Hudson at bay as he dove for the fortune cookies.

 

“He decided he wants to eat in his room,” Derek sighed, clearly exasperated.

 

“What happened?” She asked as he ripped the bag open and started to line up the white boxes.

 

“He thinks I embarrassed him,” Derek said plainly.

 

“Der,” she said warningly. “What happened?”

 

“We took an extra little drive around the neighborhood before getting to Jade Temple for some practice,” he began. “And we saw Tyler Hodgkins running around the neighborhood, so we slowed down to say hi,” he added.

 

“And then what?” She asked, pressing Derek. Nothing yet warranted a fight.

 

“Well Tyler asked Liam over tonight,” Derek added. “And I said that we were busy tonight,” he shrugged, voice getting quieter as it went on.

 

“Baby, we have no plans beyond these eggrolls,” Sophie said flatly. “Why did you say we were busy?” She asked.

 

“Because he’s too young for him!” Derek said, shoulders reaching his ears. “Liam’s barely fifteen and that Tyler kid is almost eighteen.”

 

“Derek!” Sophie laughed, “they’re friends and teammates! Just because he invited him over doesn’t mean you know what’s going to happen! We don’t even know if Tyler likes Hudson.”

 

“I was a teenage boy, I know what’s going to happen!” Derek replied. Hudson sat on the sofa, watching the back and forth between his parents as he attempted to open a sweet and sour sauce packet.

 

“Derek, that’s not fair!” Sophie said, “you had no issue with whatever was happening with Liam and Clarissa,” she pointed out.

 

“This guy is older! He could take advantage of him!” Derek said accusingly. “Friend or not!”

 

“Do you really think Liam couldn’t defend himself? Do you think he’s some weak little kid who has no way to hold his own?” She asked with a laugh. “He’s a smart kid who can handle himself and make his own decisions,” she finished. “Is Liam not allowed to go over to any of his teammates’ houses anymore?”

 

“But – ”

 

“You better go right your wrong before Liam loses trust in you,” she said, plucking a dumpling from Derek’s container and popping it in her mouth. “You gotta have a better reason than that, papa bear. They’re both kids.”

 

Derek’s eyebrows had never been so furrowed as he accepted his fate. He sighed and turned on his heel, marching back up the stairs.

 

“Daddy’s silly,” Sophie said to Hudson, who was finally happy now that he was fisting a few lo-mein noodle and shoving them into his mouth.

 

“Silly,” Hudson confirmed. The best part was knowing that Derek could likely hear him.

 

“It’s gonna be different for you, Huddy, there will never be a boy or girl good enough for you, my little prince,” she kissed the top of his head. “Mama’s never letting you go.”

 

“I Mama,” Hudson giggled, loving getting kisses.

 

When Derek resurfaced in the basement, he was holding a wide-awake Emmy, who gazed adoringly up at her Daddy. Sophie raised a brow in his direction.

 

“He’s fine,” Derek sighed, “still a little peeved, but less so.” He sat back down on the couch, cradling Emmy to his chest. “Emmy still loves me,” he said, slipping into a bit of a baby talk. “Don’t you my little angel?” He asked. “Don’t you love Daddy?” He asked.

 

The baby waved one of her fists in the air at the sound of Derek’s voice.

 

“Love Daddy?” Derek asked Hudson, who was busy chasing a bite of Sophie’s cream cheese wonton.

 

“Love Mama,” Hudson countered, happily biting into it.

 

“Well then,” Derek said, surprised. “Guess it’s just me and Emmy,” he sighed.


	30. Mother Knows Best

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> considering this the unofficial end of LBT. I'd like to do a few interludes in the future and go back and do some missing chapters around events, but this will the last installment in this timeline.
> 
> a big thank you to everyone who read and commented on my first fic on this site. I do plan to start posting another very soon either a peter/ofc line or another derek/ofc. definitely look for more about derek & sophie soon!
> 
> xx

Derek Hale rolled out of bed early that morning, much more early than usual for a Sunday and gently kissed his wife as she slept, her brunette hair fanned out all over her pillow. He pressed a second kiss to her mating mark before padding out of the room after grabbing the baby monitor looking in on Sophie’s crib.

 

She’d be moving a big girl bed next week and he was already beside himself at the idea of his baby getting any bigger. Her second birthday alone was enough to render him useless on the day of her party as her big brother piggy-backed her around the yard.

 

But today, he needed to focus. It was a big day, after all.

 

Stepping into the kitchen, he pulled the grocery bag he had stashed out of sigh previously from behind the quesadilla press Sophie insisted upon years ago, but never used.

 

Inside were all the ingredients he needed to make a proper Mother’s Day brunch of red velvet pancakes to go along with the bacon he had in the freezer and the strawberries he picked up at the farmer’s market two mornings ago.

 

Now that Emmy was a 28 months and potty-trained and Hudson was starting kindergarten in the fall, he was getting the baby itch again. He wanted a baby bad and knew it would take just a bit of convincing for his wife.

 

At 30 years old, Derek Hale had come into the final installment of his parent’s life insurance – something he didn’t even know was waiting for him until three months ago. With an additional sixteen million settled between savings accounts, investments and a healthy, diversified portfolio, he was feeling more confident than ever about handing off larger portions of Hale Landscaping to members of his staff and stepping away even more. He was ready to be full-time Daddy and ready to add a few more kids to the equation.

 

By the time breakfast was finished and sunlight was steadily streaming through the skylight of the master bedroom, he figured they had at least two hours before Emmy woke up demanding pancakes of her own. She, of course, would get whatever she wanted from her father.

 

Derek set the tray of food on Sophie’s nightstand, sitting on the edge of the mattress beside her and brushed her bangs (a recent change) from her face.

 

“Soph,” he said gently, rubbing her shoulder softly.

 

“Mmr,” she mumbled, turning her head into her pillow.

 

“Happy Mama Day, baby,” he leaned down to kiss her temple. She turned slowly, waking up and giving him a soft smile.

 

“Thank you, Daddy,” she whispered, rubbing at her eyes gently.

 

“The babies are asleep, I made you breakfast,” he said.

 

“You’re the best,” she smiled, clutching the sheets to her naked chest as she sat up against the headboard, eyes still sleepy. “Gimme a kiss,” she demanded, which he was happy to comply. “Eat with me,” she requested.

 

Derek was perfectly content to curl into her side and take the occasional bites she offered him.

 

“The babies have big plans for you today,” he told her as he had her splayed out on her stomach half an hour later, rubbing his rough hands into the smooth skin of her backs.

 

“Do they?” She asked, feeling rather blissed out at the feeling of her husband’s hands on her. Waking up early was worth the extra moments of rare privacy.

 

“Oh yes, we’ve been working on our gifts for days,” he assured her.

 

“You’re such a good Daddy,” she grinned, feeling rather pleased with herself.

 

“I wanted to talk to you about that,” he began, watching as she quirked her head him.

 

“Want to talk to me about what?” She asked, turning on her side with no apprehension as she bared her naked chest to him.

 

“I am a good Daddy,” he agreed, laying on his side and propping his head up on his hand.

 

“Mhm,” she nodded.

 

“And now our little baby is almost two and a half,” he added on.

 

“You’re right,” she agreed, knowing where this conversation was going, but having too much fun trying to make Derek actual verbalize what he wanted to say.

 

“And now I’m thirty,” he said, trailing a finger up her side, making her wiggle in the slightest.

 

“Der,” she giggled, “get to your point.”

 

“I want another baby,” he said with a simple, bashful shrug.

 

“Do you?” Sophie asked, tilting her head.

 

“Real bad,” he nodded again

 

“You want a baby real bad, huh?” She asked, propping herself up on her elbows with a little grin.

 

“You’re killin’ me, Soph,” he sighed. She laughed before sitting up, pressing her lips to his.

  
“I’ve been thinking about it, too,” she admitted, “and Daddy’s been asking when we’re going to make Emmy a big sister,” she laughed. “Of course I want another baby with you, Der,” she insisted. “You’re such a good Daddy,” she pecked him softly. “You were born for the job.”

 

“I want another little girl,” he kissed his way down her neck, “another mini-Sophie,” he added.

 

“No, no, we need another man in the house,” she giggled, “just like Huddy so he has someone to build his forts with,” she laughed. “Tomorrow’s the fifteenth,” she pointed out, “I start ovulating.”

 

“You already know?” He asked, detaching his lips from her collarbone.

 

“I planned to seduce you and have you impregnate me so I could trap you,” she said airily, making him laugh and press his face into her shoulder.

 

“If anything, we can all agree, I trapped you,” he laughed, pressing his lips against her skin again, laving his tongue across a little space of warm skin where she accidentally drizzled maple syrup. “I lured you over here with Chinese food and strategic moments with my shirt off,” he began, his tongue circling around her nipple. “Built you a pool, mowed your lawn,” he added, making her giggle. “Really, it was actually quite easy.”

 

“Are you calling me easy?!” She threw her head back with a laugh.

 

They both paused as they heard a long, drawn-out “Da-ddy!”

 

“The princess is up,” she commented, “that means Huddy will be up any minute,” Sophie commented.

 

“If someone wasn’t so loud, we would have had more time,” he said, rather matter-of-fact. Derek pressed one more kiss to her collarbone before crawling off the bed.

 

“Melissa and John are still taking the babies tonight, right?” She asked, stretching her arms above her head. Derek nodded, slipping on a pair of flannel pants and watched as she rolled out of bed herself before hooking her thumbs into the hips of her panties and stepping out of them. “Good,” she grinned, walking into the bathroom naked.

 

“Killin’ me, Mama,” he called before making his way down the hall.

 

[][][]

 

“I love my Mama because she teaches me all the things and kisses me when I want kisses,” Hudson traced the words written in his card with his pudgy finger. “Mama gives the best hugs and lets me eat ice cream,” he added. Most of the ‘words’ were scribbles and some pictures. “Also Mama lets us go the park this weekend” he added, looking up to her with a challenging look, making her laugh.

 

“Mm, that was a great card, baby,” Sophie leaned down kissing his cheek. “Did Daddy help you sign your name?” She asked a the particularly neat looking ‘Hudson’ at the bottom of the card alongside his handprint.

 

“Yeah, Daddy helped,” he agreed, “but I did it.”

 

“You did such a good job,” she kissed him again. “I’m so happy to be your Mama,” she squeezed the little boy in her lap.

 

Perched on a flannel blanket on the grass in the backyard, they were enjoying a picnic while Sophie opened up cards from Hudson, Emmy and Liam. She was endeared when all of the older boys called her that day with promises to see her as summer break approached.

 

“This one’s for you, Soph,” Liam said, handing her a card. She held in the threat of tears as she read the sweet message and leaned over to press a kiss to his cheek. Derek grinned as he held Emmy, bouncing her in his lap as she tried in vein to open up the wrapped box on the blanket in front of her.

 

“Mama!” She bounced, climbing all over Derek as Liam handed Sophie the box his little sister so desperately wanted to open.

 

“Should I see what’s inside, baby?” Sophie asked the little girl who was suddenly preoccupied as she sat on Derek’s shoulders, running her hands through his hair and tugging it gently.

 

She peeled back the paper and opened the box, removing tissue paper to reveal a beautiful gold frame. In the frame was a black and white photo of Isaac, Liam, Hudson and Emmy, Liam holding Emmy on his shoulders while Hudson clung to Isaac’s leg with a laughing smile.

 

“Stiles has gotten into photography and I asked him to take a picture of all of us the last time we went down to LA,” Liam explained.

 

“It’s perfect,” Sophie said, eyes misty. “Thank you,” she smiled.

 

“Are you guys ready to go to Grandpa John’s?” Derek asked, kissing all over Emmy’s face, who broke into a cackling laughter. The two-year-old was truly and intensely in love with her Daddy and together they made an inseparable team.

 

“Do you guys mind if I head out tonight?” Liam asked, not surprising Derek at all. The patriarch’s eyebrows settled into a furrow.

 

“Of course not,” Sophie said as Hudson collapsed into her lap, nuzzling into the soft skin of her neck. Derek was sure he was getting closer and closer to his first shift and they were hoping to ease it out of him at the next full moon. For now, his instincts were getting stronger and stronger as he constantly scent-marked his family.

 

“Where ya headed?” Derek asked.

 

“Tyler is home for the weekend visiting his Mom,” Liam replied, speaking of his more-than-a-friend but less-than-a-boyfriend who was finishing his second year of college at UNLV Reno just about three hours away.

 

Liam, now a senior in high school had taken his Jeep Wrangler (his sixteenth birthday present) up I-80 many times to visit the college sophomore.

 

“Have fun, give him a kiss for me,” she winked, making Liam flush red.

 

It wasn’t that Derek didn’t like Tyler, in fact, he had proved himself very loyal and trustworthy over the past two years. He didn’t, however, like the idea of Liam compromising many promising baseball scholarships to be closer to Tyler.

 

“We’re going to breakfast early tomorrow morning, so don’t’ be too late,” Derek said sternly, causing Sophie to roll her eyes, and in turn, Hudson, who loved copying his Mama.

 

“Breakfast isn’t until ten,” she winked.

 

“I can drop them,” He motioned to the kids, Emmy launching herself off of Derek’s back to run over to Liam.

 

“We can take them,” Sophie insisted.

 

“No worries, their seats are already in the Jeep,” Liam said as he stood. “Come on, monkeys,” he said, scooping Emmy up from the ground as Hudson jumped to keep up. “Have fun tonight.”

 

[][][]

 

“Goddamn,” she laughed as she slid all the way down Derek’s length, “this literally never gets old.  


“It better not,” he grunted, abs quivering for a moment as he ran a hand up her back, “Christ,” he huffed.

 

“You wanna be a Daddy, Der?” She asked teasingly, looking down at him over her shoulder, to which he nodded helplessly. “Prove it,” she bit her lip. She squealed as she thrust his hips into hers, his brow bone taking on the features of his wolfman as he pounded into her. ”Yes,” She hissed, bracing her hands on his knees. “Give it to me,” she panted, feeling the prickle of his claws on her hips.

 

She tossed her head back, feeling the full Derek’s full weight moving up from underneath her. Not a few moments later did he loop an arm around her waist, taking her by surprise as he sat up, propping her on her hands and knees as he loomed over her.

  
“Jesus,” she gasped, her hand going over his on her hip as he growled into her ear, his teeth grazing over the faded scar on the delicate line between her neck and shoulder. Years after the fact, it was just a silvery little reminder of her claiming.

 

Derek’s hand covered her bellybutton as he rocked into her, face smushed into the back of her neck. He imagined her tummy full and round again, growing with their child and he howled loudly, startling Sophie but helping her reach her peak as the sound sent goosebumps up and down her spine.

 

Derek finished inside of her, rubbing her lower tummy gently as he felt rope after rope of orgasm fill her. His features remained sharp and exaggerated as his wolfman asserted his dominance in the moment.

 

“Feel better?” She asked, sitting up and leaning back against him. Derek maneuvered her so she was down on her back and his wolf slowly let his hands transform to soft, rounded fingers. He traced them down her stomach as he caught some of the mess that leaked from her sex, pushing it gently back in. “You know I like when you go all wolfman on me,” she grinned, puckering her lips for a kiss that he was happy to comply with.

 

Slanting his mouth over hers, his thumb tweaked her clit gently, making her jerk softly underneath him.

 

“You’re messy,” she commented, a yawn escaping her lips.

 

“You’re beautiful,” he countered.

 

“I haven’t heard you howl like that in weeks,” she grinned as he lowered himself to the mattress and nuzzled his head into the valley of her breasts. It only took a moment for her to wind her hand through his hair.

 

“I can’t do it like that when the babies are home,” he pointed out, “Huddy and Emmy wouldn’t like it and Liam would know exactly why I was doing it,” he finished.

 

“I can’t believe our Hudson is going to kindergarten this fall,” Sophie said in a far-off voice. “He’s getting too big. Next he’s going to be shifting and running in the woods with his Daddy.”

 

“He’s going to be a big boy,” Derek commented, “he’s taller than all his little friends and has 20 pounds on the next closest.”

 

“He’s a growing boy,” Sophie defended.

 

“I didn’t say he was fat,” Derek said with an exasperated sigh, “I’m just saying, he’ll probably grow up to be bigger than me.”

 

“Not Emmy,” Sophie replied. “I bet she’ll be about my build.”

 

“And the next one,” Derek grinned smugly, his wolf already quite pleased with the progress they had made that evening. He was ready for more cubs as well.

 

“I know we said one or two when we talked about kids, but…” Sophie trailed off, “I don’t know, maybe we are meant to have more.”

 

“I’m fine with that,” Derek mumbled. “We’ve got the time and resources,” he sighed.

 

They lazed about in bed for another hour or so, racing to another orgasm in the shower before they heard the garage door slam shut and heavy footfalls up the stairs to the second level.

 

“Liam home already?” Sophie mused, it wasn’t even eleven o’clock. She pulled on a pair of shorts and one of Derek’s tees after brushing her hair out. Wrapping her short bathrobe around her, she padded down the stairs to the second floor and across the hall to Liam’s room – his door decorated appropriately by pictures from Hudson and Emmy.

 

“Li,” she knocked on his door gently. “You okay?” She heard a muffled reply from inside the door and carefully pushed the door open.

 

“M’fine,” he replied, but she heard a sniffle.

 

“Baby,” she frowned, feeling his sadness. She walked over, sitting on the edge of his mattress where he laid face-down in his pillows. He slowly lifted his face to reveal bloodshot eyes and pink cheeks. “Did something happen?” she asked worriedly.

 

He took his time answering while she rubbed a hand up and down his back.

 

“Tyler got a boyfriend,” He sniffled, “a guy he goes to school with who’s his age and plays basketball and is going to be a doctor,” he listed off with a sneer before his face crumpled again, more tears escaping.

 

“Oh, Li,” She gathered him into her arms, letting his head fall against her shoulder. If nothing else, it was nice to be held. He sniffled and let more tears fall as he tried to relax himself. “If Tyler doesn’t realize what a great guy you are, that’s his own fault. You’re going to find someone who gives you all the love and attention you deserve,” she added. “You’re so smart and talented and handsome,” she listed off. “If he can’t see that then it’s his loss.”

 

“You have to say that, you’re my mom,” he mumbled with a soft hiccup.

 

“I know, but if I didn’t believe it, I would just say you’re a ‘nice boy,’” she teased, making him chuckle just once. “Want me slash his tires?” She asked softly, making him laugh. “Cause I’ll do it.”

 

“I know,” He laughed, sniffling just once. “Thanks, Soph.”

 

After he assured her he was going to be okay, just a little sad, she head back up the bedroom where Derek was laid across the bed, butt naked and face down.

 

“Liam okay?” He asked.

 

“Tyler dumped him,” she said with a furrowed brow. Derek’s head popped off the mattress to look at her.

 

“I’ll kill him,” he frowned.

 

“Same,” she said, flopping on the mattress next to him. “He found a basketball-playing future doctor at school,” She rolled her eyes.

 

“What a crock of shit,” Derek mumbled.

 

“I know,” she replied. “I want to punch his stupid handsome face.”

 

“He wasn’t that cute,” Derek countered.

 

“Yeah babe, he was,” she replied, making him roll his eyes as well. “He thinks he’ll be fine, just a sad boy right now. I’m going to take him tomorrow to the mall after breakfast and let him pick out a new video game or something.”

 

“You’re a good Mama,” Derek said leaning over and kissing her gently.

 

“I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> considering this the unofficial end of LBT. I'd like to do a few interludes in the future and go back and do some missing chapters around events, but this will the last installment in this timeline.
> 
> a big thank you to everyone who read and commented on my first fic on this site. I do plan to start posting another very soon either a peter/ofc line or another derek/ofc. definitely look for more about derek & sophie soon!
> 
> xx


	31. School Daze

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mentioned a while back i'd like to do a few interludes into Sophie & Derek's life - here's one! Happily taking suggestions for scenes people would like to see. I had such a great response to this story when it was active, don't be too shy to say hello in the comments!

Drinking at dancing at Katrina’s was Sophie’s idea. Hudson was at Melissa’s for the long weekend and the older boys were going camping with Stiles, Scott and Jackson – and Mama and Daddy had the weekend all to themselves. Plus, it was something they never did. They grabbed dinner, they went to baseball and hockey games, hung around the high school for lacrosse games and had play dates at the park. They never acted their age and went out for drinks and dancing.

Derek leaned against the kitchen counter, the keys to his Shelby GT350 twirling in hand.

“Wow,” his eyebrows shot into his hairline as he took in Sophie’s appearance after she made her way down to the main floor.

Poured into a tight charcoal dress, a cropped black moto jacket and black pumps, she looked like every one of his high school fantasies come true. Her long hair had been curled loosely and hung around her face where she carefully applied perfect winged liner and a soft nude lip.

“Jesus, Soph,” he said, standing up straight.

“You look handsome,” she smiled, walking over and grabbing the lapels of his blazer, pressing kiss to his lips.

“You look out of my league,” he replied, making her toss her head back with a laugh.

“Good to know I still got it,” she winked.

“I can’t take you out somewhere looking like this, people are going to know I outkicked my coverage,” he insisted.

“Come on, big lug, show me off,” she said, tugging on his hand toward the front door. “Are we taking the fast car?” She asked, leading the way to the driveway.

“I know you like it,” Derek commented, feeling every bit a high schooler as he watched the way her hips moved in her steps. He especially liked the sparkle of her diamond ring as it reflected a little glare when she ran her hand through her hair.

“You going to be able to dance in those shoes all night?” Derek asked, looking down at Sophie’s black heels with a candy-red bottom. She had the shoes bookmarked on her laptop for sixth months before she finally pulled the trigger, immediately yelling YOLO and opening a bottle of wine when she did.

“Oh, sweet Der, I used to party in shoes way worse than these for much longer,” she reached over cupping his cheek in her hand. He rolled his eyes. “You wouldn’t even recognize college Sophie, I was a total party animal,” she teased.

“I’m so sure,” he laughed, starting up the car and pulling out of the drive, noticing the way she shivered at the sound of the purring engine.

“Have you met Lauren?” She teased, reminding him of her no-holds-barred best friend who was as wild as they came. “Her favorite thing to do in college was dress me up and parade me around for hours,” she detailed. “We have bars we’re not allowed back into in Denver,” she recounted thoughtfully. “Too bad, too.” Derek frowned, not entirely in love with that idea.

“Well, try your best to not get us kicked out of Katrina’s, our options slim down a lot after that,” he replied, revving the engine once again as they shot down the street.

“I love when you do that,” she looked over at him with a grin, biting her lower lip.

“Don’t even start, we haven’t gotten to the bar yet,” he warned. “You wanted a baby-free night and we’re going to eat and drink without tiny hands taking the food off of our plate.” He added.

“Come on, do it once more,” she slid her hand down his black denim thigh.

“Soph,” He warned, Adam’s apple bobbing as he kept his eyes on the road. Sure, they had been recklessly irresponsible in the car before, it was far beyond Derek’s willpower to turn down road head, but that was when they were in the middle of nowhere, driving to and from Sacramento and San Jose - not strolling down the town they lived in.

“Der, I’m seriously keyed up.” She looked up at him through the thick batting of her eyelashes. He was having a hard enough time looking at her lips and wondering what the pink of her lipstick would look like smeared all over the skin below his zipper.

“You want me to take you home?” He asked seriously. They were both looking forward to a night out, but he’d be fine with a night in bed, too.

“No,” she pouted, squeezing his thigh under her hand. “Take me to the makeout point here,” she grinned.

“The what?” He laughed.

“You know, wherever you went to get fresh with girls in high school,” she giggled. 

“I don’t know what you mean,” he sniffed.

“Come on, I want to relive awkward high school Derek fumbling around with the back of my bra,” she tossed her head back with a laugh that made his heart feel lighter.

“You wanna go to the hook up spot? I’ll take you to the hook up spot.” He shrugged.

“Wait, wait, we have to stop somewhere first,” she said excitedly.

Half an hour later, they were parked at Beacon Hills Pointe, which overlooked the east side of the town - and thankfully, they were the only car parked there.

“That’s good, that’s good, that’s good,” Derek laughed as Sophie took a comically large pull of Jager from the bottle.

“His name was Freddie Thompson and he was on the soccer team at my high school, I had the biggest crush on him ever,” she grinned, leaning back in her chair and crossing her legs. “He had this blond hair to his shoulders and I thought he was so dreamy.” She sighed willfully. “But he couldn’t kiss to save his life and after we did it the first time – in his cousin’s basement – he cried.” She shrugged, making Derek laugh before taking his own pull.

“Stacy Carter,” he named off the person he lost his virginity to. “I had a huge crush on her, told her I liked her and she laughed at me,” he said, making Sophie frown. “She had sex with me later during sophomore year just to get back at her boyfriend and never talked to me again after that.”

“I hate her,” Sophie insisted.

“I did too, for a while,” Derek laughed. 

“So what is Freddie Thompson up to now?” Derek asked, adjusting to Sophie could snuggle into his side.

“Last I heard he was still playing soccer… for the Spanish National Team,” she shrugged. “And Stacy Carter?” She teased, looking up at him, taking another sip of Jager.

“She lives in Beacon Hills and has five kids,” Derek laughed.

“Why am I not surprised?” Sophie giggled. “Tell me one of your fantasies,” she said, pushing the Jager bottle into his hand.

“My fantasies?” He asked, an eyebrow raised.

“Yeah, I wanna know what goes on up here,” she ran a hand through his thick, dark hair. She hoped he never went bald.

“I don’t have any fantasies,” he replied coolly, taking a pull.

“Don’t lie! You can’t lie to me, we’re married!” She slapped his chest playfully. “I get to know all your weird stuff.” She insisted. Derek rolled his eyes, taking another pull from the bottle, already wondering how the hell they were going to get home. “If you tell me yours, I’ll tell you mine,” she grinned. That would do.

“My fantasy…” Derek sighed, “You and me, ten years from now with lots of babies and no worries about money. We can go on whatever trips we want, the kids are doing well in school and I’ve handed off my landscaping business entirely.” He listed off. Sophie blinked for a moment.

“Baby, that’s so sweet, but I wanna hear the weird stuff,” she pouted. “I want you to tell me you wanna suck my toes or be a naughty school girl or tie you up and call you Daddy,” she listed off. He gulped at the last one, Adam’s apple bobbing up and down for the tenth time that night as he took in his wife’s appearance and the words coming from her mouth.

“I – uhh,” he cleared his throat.

“That’s it, isn’t it?” She smirked, “you like me to get all pouty and sweet and call you Daddy.” She grinned, watching as he gaped for a moment. Sophie shoved the bottle of Jager in the door pocket before swinging a leg over Derek’s lap – which was enough of a challenge in the sleek little sports car, straddling him in the driver’s seat. Derek’s hands naturally settled on the swell of her ass, wondering how she was maneuvering in those black jeans that were painted on like a second skin.

“Soph,” he stuttered as she pressed her lips to his neck and her hips down into his.

“Yes, Daddy?” She purred into his ear, nibbling on his earlobe.

“I – we – ” This time, it was his brain that stuttered as she dropped low in his lap, pushing against him as she extended her knees again. Sophie dropped her head back with a long moan, taking exactly what she wanted from Derek in the front seat of that car. “Fuck.” Derek state eloquently. She loved when he swore.

He felt like a fraud, just sitting there as she wiggled her way all over him, kissing and sucking his neck and pressing her hips down into his lap like she’d find gold there. That, and every time she whispered Daddy in his hear, he could feel the hot, clammy goosebumps break out down his back.

She shifted her hips, dropping a knee between his thighs on the seat and lowering herself a she straddled his one leg.

“Flex,” she commanded, causing him to instantly strain the muscles in the leg that was pressing up into her hot heat that felt absolutely sweltering against him. The move alone earned him a long, low moan. “Yes,” she hissed, looping her arms around the back of his neck.

“Good?” He asked, gripping her backside in his hands.

“Yes, Daddy,” she whimpered, rolling her hips and pressing her sex down into her husband’s thigh again.

“Fuck, Sophie,” he groaned.

“You taste like black licorice,” she laughed, tracing her hands down his chest to his jeans button, pressing it through the hole and shuddering as he licked from the base of her neck to her earlobe.

He growled, a full-on growl, making her scream a laugh before kissing him again, her hand snaking its way through his zipper. It wasn’t until a moment later that Sophie noticed a flash of light just a few feet away from their car.

“Oh my God,” Sophie gasped, causing Derek to grunt.

“I know,” he blew a harsh breath against her neck.

“No! Derek!” She nearly leaped off of him, her butt landing hard in the passenger seat, barely having a moment to wipe her mouth before a heavy Maglite was tapping against the glass of Derek’s window.

“God,” Derek mumbled, feeling like a total wreck with his zipper down, hair mussed and pupils blown.

“We-hell,” Sheriff John Stilinski grinned like a cheshire cat as he peered into the car. “Here I was thinking I was going to get to bust some dumb kids for being out past curfew and now I get to bust you dumb kids for public indecency!” He all but howled.

“Hi John,” Sophie smiled impishly.

“Really Derek, this is how your treat your girl? Bring her here of all places?” He deadpanned.

“Gentlemen these days,” Sophie shook her head with a glance up to the sky. She was just glad he couldn’t see the open bottle of Jag in her car door pocket.

“Not the word I would use,” John raised an eyebrow. “Derek, take off.” He tapped the roof of the Shelby GT350.

“Have a good night, John!” Sophie called. They both waited until they saw the headlights of the cruiser pull away before exhaling. “Come on, big bad, you didn’t hear him coming?!” She smacked him on the shoulder.

“Sorry, I get a distracted when you have your tongue in my ear and my dick in your hand!” Derek shot back, feeling like a scolded 13-year-old. Sophie dissolved into giggles and suddenly he didn’t feel as bad.

“I disarmed you,” she laughed. Derek looked over at his wife, her hair tossed over one shoulder and leaning into the passenger seat. “You’re cute,” she grinned, unabashedly. “I’d totally let you take me up here when I was in high school.”

“I wouldn’t know what to do with you if I met you in high school,” he countered, making her grin spread even further across her face. “You would have scared the shit out of me.” That made her laugh. “I don’t even know how I would have handled finding my mate that young… it probably would have gotten ugly fast.” He pointed out.

“Why’s that?” She asked, running a hand through her hair, again, showing off her wedding ring.

“Because when teenagers find their mates, they go nuts and can’t be separated from them at all,” he explained. “It actually can become a huge problem, especially if their mate doesn’t know what’s going on.”

“So sounds pretty similar to what happened anyway,” she said airily. “Do you have any photos of high school Derek?” She asked, knowing he could very well not have any.

“I have a few,” he nodded, making her instantly excited.

“Aw, I want to see!” She insisted.

“Swing through Jade Temple then head home?” He offered.

“Sounds perfect,” Sophie agreed.


End file.
